INGHAM COUNTY FARMERS' CLUB. . 265 



Jaue and again in September, two as busy months as n^e have in the year. An- 

 swer these questions, and thou, — shall we invest? We often see those who 

 neglect the proper triuiniiug of their orchards, which can and ought to be done 

 in the most leisure months, and on which depends the future value. Would 

 we be more mindful of tlie hedge? 



The close canvassing of the State at the present time looks in itselLsuspicious 

 while we have timber iu abundauce compared with many other States. Notice 

 what Professor Shelton of the Kansas Agricultural College says: "He has not 

 seen a mile of new hedge set in the last five years." Kansas is a State desti- 

 tude of timber compared with Michigan, and still the professor has not seen a 

 mile of new hedge set iu five years. Does that signify anything? Does that 

 give any reason for their thus striking Michigan so early? Michigan is about 

 such a State for hedge fence as Kansas would be for saw-mills. Still they are 

 here in preference to western States. Doesn't this speak volumes of caution to 

 us? Let us see what the professor calls it. "The thorny, expensive, ground- 

 consuming, vermin-harboring hedge." The thorns it must certainly have or it 

 would not amount to a fence. 



Next, the first cost. It costs §1.00 per rod besides preparing and culti- 

 vating the bed and keeping free from weeds for the first few years. This 

 expense depends on the degree of thoroughness with which it is done. 

 The proper trimming, shaping and resetting, if by chance or otherwise the 

 mice should girdle or frost kill, would be the expense of keeping it up. 

 Perhaps I sliould speak of the ground consumed, which in the aggregate is no 

 small item. From all the testimony before us I feel safe in the assertion that it 

 virtually occupies as much as or more than the common rail fence. That con- 

 trasted with the space occupied by post and board or wire fence is worthy of our 

 attention. 



Now, if we have got a full fence that will withstand the climate and baffle all 

 others enemies, we have got something that is worth seeking, — a fence for all 

 time, dependent only on our proper care and attention. 



I would be glad to draw a true picture of a post and wire fence that I can 

 conceive of. That would be a full looped or woven fence. Why not unroll a 

 coil of fencing, the width being the height, all ready to spike to posts? The 

 posts being set, two men could build more in a day than they could trim of the 

 hedge. Some may say you have got posts that will rot; I would say give your- 

 self no uneasiness, the iron posts will soon be in use. Better use well the privi- 

 leges and blessings of to-day that more may be added. You may ask, why do you 

 speak of such a fence. Because I believe it to be the coming fence. If such a 

 fence could be manufactured at a reasonable cost, would it not possess more 

 redeeming qualities than any other we have before us to-day? When we look at 

 the improvements in other directions is it unreasonable to suppose that our 

 most sanguine hopes and expectations may be exceeded in this direction? This 

 fence should be of proper height and tigiit enough to turn all kinds of stock. 

 The first manufacturer that oifers such a fence at a reasonable price will step 

 rapidly to the front. I wrSte to Messrs. Sedgwick Bros, of Richmond, 

 Ind., manufacturers of wire goods and received sample and price list of 

 a fence that very nearly agrees with my preconceived ideas. It is a wire 

 netting, 4x7 inch mesh and 52 inches wide, that being the height of the fence, 

 which can be bought for $1.05 per rod for 100 rod lots, and less for larger 

 quantities. With our present price for posts cost compares favorably with the 

 cost of any other fence, cheaper than the hedge, and when we pay our money 



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