570 



THE AMERICAN FARMER. 



By being twisted, greater strength is secured, and the wire is better able to resist the 

 effects of changes of temperature. The barbs in such fences should, as nearly as possible, be 

 just long enough to repel infringing animals without being capable of inflicting a serious 

 injury. In erecting a fence of this kind, the number of strands to be used must depend 

 upon the special object to be accomplished. Two strands, about twenty-one inches from the 

 ground and from each other, will turn horses, cattle, cows, and young stock. Three strands, 

 the lowest being placed twelve inches from the ground, the second twenty-three inches, and 

 the third forty-two inches from the ground will, of course, be better and make a more sub 

 stantial fence. 



Four strands are most commonly used, while even five are frequently employed when 



BARB WIRE. 



USE OF STRETCHER. 



some special object is desired, such as excluding dogs, pigs, poultry, and other small animals. 

 In such cases the lower strands are placed nearer the ground and to each other than the 

 upper ones. In constructing a four-strand fence, the strand nearest the ground might be 

 about five inches from it, the next twelve inches, the third twenty-two inches, and the fourth 

 forty-eight inches from the ground. This would give a fence four feet high. In erecting a 

 wire fence, the main posts may be about fifty feet from the corner posts and from each other. 

 They should be firmly set in the ground, so as to prevent being thrown out by the frost. 

 They should always be sharpened at the top, or left wedge-shaped, better protection against 

 intrusion being by this means secured. After setting the posts, they should be marked whore 

 each line of wire is to cross. The first end of a spool of the wire is then fastened firmly to 

 the first corner post with staples and carried quite a distance, allowing it to unwind as the 



