ue 
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NOTES AND QUERIES. 
NOTES AND QUERIES. 
THe DETERIORATION OF WIRE FENCES. 
Fifty years ago wire fencing was almost unknown, now it has 
become an absolute necessity, and may be styled the fence of the 
period—to the almost utter neglect of hedges and stone dykes. 
What has no doubt tended to the general adoption of wire 
fencing is its comparative simplicity and being easily erected, 
and few now care to wait ten years on a hedge growing. 
What I wish to direct attention to more particularly is the 
injurious effects caused to wire fencing by using barbed wire. 
As is well known, barbed wire is generally used as a top or second 
wire, to prevent stock from over-reaching or rubbing against 
the fence. And though the huntsman abhors it, still it cannot 
be denied that barbed wire is a great advantage in protecting 
wire fences from destruction by cattle. Nevertheless, paradoxical 
as it may appear, this very barbed wire not only renders a fence 
more effective, but also tends to hasten its decay. 
Hitherto barbed wire has been manufactured in a somewhat 
imperfect manner, on account of the barbs being cut from wire 
after being galvanised, thus exposing a large amount of wngal- 
vanised surface to oxidation, which sets up galvanic action, and 
the rapid decomposition of the zine coating, and the general 
deterioration of the wire. This not only affects the barbed wire 
itself, but all the wires immediately under, and the results are 
very apparent where old ungalvanised wire fences have been 
re-erected with a barbed wire on the top—the drip from the 
barbed wire causing rapid oxidation and decay of the under 
wires. As a further proof of this, it may be noted that in 
some instances, according to the direction of the line of fence 
and the trend of the prevailing winds, some of the wires may 
be comparatively free from oxidation, while in others it is very 
apparent, according as the drip has fallen on the upper or lower 
portion of the fence; and these effects are rendered still more 
