MISCELLANEOUS PAPEKS. 153 



HEDGE FENCES FOli THE FARM, AND HOW TO GROW THEM. 

 BY GEOIIGE TAYLOR, OF KALAMAZOO. 



The great importance of this subject will be seen when we examine our 

 statistics of fencing and see the vast amount of labor and capital that is 

 expended to make and maintain the different sorts of farm fences as they now 

 exist throughout the various States of our Union. 



As we travel along the extensive lines of railroad and cast our eyes on each 

 side and see the vast amount of timber rail fence now going to decay we 

 very naturally ask : How are all these to be replaced? In the majority of 

 cases there is not now enough of growing timber to spare for this purpose, and 

 if there was, it is found now to be too valuable to be used in this way. We sec 

 a few board fences, but these also are now found more expensive than the 

 price of farm produce will warrant in the use for such a construction. Such, 

 then, is the state of things as we see it all over the country, and this then 

 brings us to the importance of the subject I have now taken in hand, — the 

 necessity of hedge fencing. I see that of late to meet the necessity of fencing 

 and to save the waste of timber, barbed wire fixed to proper supports is being 

 highly recommended, and I could see in passing through a part of Illinois and 

 "Wisconsin latel}^ that this mode of fencing w^as used by certain parties to con- 

 siderable extent. 



But while it has certain points of merit it has also others that are objection- 

 able, and the principal one that I shall mention is that it will be found to be 

 much more expensive than, and not so efficient as the hedge fence that I shall 

 recommend, which can be planted, grown and kept by the farmer, at a time 

 when his^ther farm work is not pressing, and also, in many cases, the material 

 for construction can be had within himself and is not subject to decay as tim- 

 ber and other materials. 



I consider, therefore, that the hedge fence only needs to be put in proper 

 operation to commend itself as the cheapest, the most lasting and efficient of 

 all other farm fences. 



I would wish it to be understood, however, that I do not here speak of 

 hedges of evergreen and other ornamental plants which are more suitable for 

 a lawn and the surroundings of a good residence, but I am here speaking of a 

 farm fence, one that will grow strong, mature quickh', and be an effective bar- 

 rier against all kinds of stock. I may therefore premise at once, that this 

 fence is specially intended to meet the farming wants of the United 

 States, and if it is found suitable for the wants of any other country, I shall 

 not object to their taking the benefit of my advice. 



I therefore lay it down as a fact intimately connected with agricultural 

 progress that fencing and profitable farming must be associated together. 



The idea, as we sometimes hear it expressed of doing away with all fences 

 on the farm and throughout the State is, to say the least, a move in the wrong 

 direction. All farming that is systematically conducted where there is a regu- 

 lar rotation of cropping, and where the raising of sheep and cattle is found a 

 necessity to this end, it will be found that fences of one kind or anotlier are indis- 

 pensable for the protection of the various crops on the farm and for keeping 

 the stock from straying away on the property of others. 



If we would wish to see an example of good farming and fencing on a large 



