FUR-FARMING IN CANADA 29 
The corner posts need not be anchored when a purline is used. The 
latter is made of one-inch boards, four inches wide, or of straight 
poles. These are nailed to the posts to brace them and support the 
meshed wire on the upper side. They also support the overhang wire. 
The overhang wire is usually from 18 to 24 inches wide and is laid 
on brackets nailed at right angles to the posts and purline and then 
stapled to them. It is usually made of No. 16 galvanized wire having 
a two-inch mesh. 
The fence is composed of two-inch diamond meshed wire fas- 
tened to the purline with staples and hung on the outside of the post. 
If several rolls of wire are used, the selvedges are laced with a soft No. 16 
wire. No. 16 galvanized wire is strong enough for the upper part ot 
the fence and No. 14 to No. 15 galvanized for the lower. The wire is 
stretched at each corner with second class levers passed through the 
meshes, the post being used as a fulcrum. All corner posts must be 
perpendicular and care must be taken when the whole area is not 
perfectly level to pleat the wire or gore it when a change from one level 
to another is made; otherwise it ‘buckles.’ This occurs at corner posts 
on sloping land, and at changes of slope in the fence. 
The exterior fence is frequently built of boards 6 feet or even 10 
feet high. The upper four feet are usually of wire with an overhang 
to prevent the foxes from escaping. On the ground, inside, is a carpet 
wire three feet wide, made of No. 15 wire having a two-inch mesh. It 
is laid on the ground and laced to the selvedge of the fence at the ground 
level, or stapled, if the fence is of boards. The other selvedge of the 
carpet wire is stapled to stakes driven in the ground. As he almost 
always begins to burrow close to the fence, the carpet wire will prevent 
the fox from burrowing under it. 
The most durable wire yet used has been imported from Great 
ie Britain. It is specially woven with an extra twist—and has 
a selvedge of three wires. In the smaller sizes a triple turn is 
made. The galvanizing, which is done after weaving, practically solders 
the joints. It comes in bales of 150 feet length and is of various wi dths. 
The best wire will last only from eight to twelve years underground. 
It is of interest to note that the aggregate sales of one of the largest 
hardware firms supplying this wire in Prince Edward Island have 
amounted to over 250 miles of wire, of an average width of four feet. 
The following table shows the comparative cost of the various 
meshed wires manufactured. The Canadian price can be determined by 
discounting the list price for all sizes under gauge No. 14 by about 15 
per cent. On account of a lower rate of duty, the list price of gauge No. 
14 and larger gauges may be discounted by about 22 per cent. 
