32 OSTRICH-FARMING IN SOUTH AFRICA. 



branches, and where suitable light poles can be cut 

 in the nearest kloof, and where, the ground being 

 soft, the cost of planting the poles is not much. The 

 poles are planted about three feet apart, and the long 

 pliant boughs interlaced between them, and wattled to 

 the height of about 4 feet 6 inches. It occasionally 

 requires a little fresh wattling on the top, when it makes 

 a good effective fence ; but is only durable till the 

 little poles rot in the ground, and should only be used 

 under the same circumstances as the last. The prime 

 cost is about ninepence the yard. 



Wire Fencing. — This constitutes the great bulk of 

 the fencing now done in the country. We have at 

 present an unlimited supply of magnificent sneezewood 

 poles, a good sound one of which, seven inches in 

 diameter, will last a generation. It has only one draw- 

 back — that birds that are unused to it, and are in 

 a comparatively small enclosure, are apt when they 

 take fright, especially at night, to run against it and 

 entangle their legs in the wires. But this wall never 

 happen if the fence is erected as w^e shall now advise, 

 though with any fence under the sun a bird may 

 hurt itself by the sheer force with which it comes 

 against it. Where the fence is required for Ostriches 

 not younger than a year old, four wires are suffi- 

 cient, and are better than a greater number. Where 



