250 STATE BOAKD OF AGRICULTURE. 



should remain, waiting their disappearance for legislative assistance and the 

 acquaintance in general of the farmers of the fruits to arise from this 

 beneficial cliange. But as to interior fences, if we must have them, would it 

 not be better to use portable ones? Would they not be more economical? Each 

 farmer would have just what fences he needed, and no more. The disposition 

 of them could be rendered easy and practical. If not required for any purpose 

 during the year, they may be easily placed under shelter and preserved. Por- 

 table fence can be constructed by any farm hand in winter, or at such times as 

 out-door work could not be carried on conveniently. If made of sound mater- 

 ials, and not placed in contact with the ground, it will last for twenty-five 

 years. But even with portable fence you incur an expense of time, labor, and 

 money for whicli you receive no adequate return. Fencing burdens the farmer 

 witli an outrageous tax, arrange it as you will. Why not adopt the soiling sys- 

 tem, which avoids fences and realizes a great saving in money and crojDS? Now 

 let us see if by the means of a few statistics we cannot in some measure realize the 

 oppression we are suffering in the way of fencing. Notwithstanding our appar- 

 ent unconcern regarding the most forcible argument against fencing, — its cost, — 

 yet it seems to me that no one can reflect upon these facts without feeling that 

 they accord more or less with the experience of most farmers. Those who have 

 never considered the subject can hardly beheve the facts ; such, for instance, as 

 that published by Nicholas Biddle, made from careful estimates, that the fence 

 tax of Pennsylvania is $10,000,000 a year; or that of Mr. Pell, that the farm 

 fences of the United States cost $1,350,000,000, and that the annual charge 

 upon farms to maintain fences is equal to §250,000,000 per annum. These are 

 startling statements, but wlio can show tliat they are not facts. They are at 

 least worthy of consideration by all farmers. The Hon. Joseph Blunt, who 

 has devoted assiduous attention to the question of improvements in farming, 

 estimated that the cost of fences in the State of New York in 1859 was $67,- 

 500,000. Interest and annual repairs may be reasonably calculated on the cost 

 at ten per cent., which makes $6,700,000, and dividing the cost of renewal 

 through ten years, the average lifetime of fences, makes a like sum, and gives 

 an annual cost for fencing the State of $13,400,000. But remember that the 

 date of this estimate is 1859; and now, with an interval of eighteen years 

 crowded with vast improvements and the addition of numberless acres to 

 the cultivated belt, the actual cost would reach $200,000,000, and the interest 

 and annual repairs to something like $20,000,000. Now let us glance a moment 

 at the alarming cost uf road fences in the same State. It is assumed that the 

 average is one mile of road to each mile square of land, and upon this as a 

 basis of computation, there are 56,000 miles of road-side fences, costing $17,- 

 920,000, and the annual cost for repairs and interest is estimated at $3,124,800. 

 Looking at the facts in our own State, we find a proportionate burden. Accord- 

 ing to the State census of 1874, there were 113,413 farms, containing 10,213,- 

 692 acres, averaging 90 acres each. Estimating the average number of rods of 

 fencing on farms of that size to be 800 rods, and the cost per rod $1, the 

 total cost of the fencing on 113,413 farms would be $90,730,400; and cal- 

 culating the interest and annual repairs at ten per cent, of the cost, we have 

 9,073,040. Dividing the cost of renewal through ten years makes a like sum, 

 and gives an annual cost for fencing the fai'ms of this State of $18,146,080. 

 The annual charge upon each farm, estimating them to average 90 acres, is 

 $56 ; and it requires the interest of an equal sum to keep the fences in repair, 

 making in all $80 as the average annual amount expended upon each farm. The 



