THE YOUNG FARMER'S MANUAL. 115 



136. It cannot be denied that there have been scores and hun 

 dreds of instances in building wire fence, in which it would seem 

 that the experiment was a most complete failure ; and many farm 

 ers, who have ever entertained a very favorable opinion of wire 

 fences, when they have come to see the report of those who 

 have experimented (very superficially) in building such fence, 

 " that wire fence could not be relied upon for protecting culti 

 vated fields from unruly cattle," have been fully deterred from 

 ever attempting to build a fence of wire, notwithstanding their 

 own good judgment has always seemed to be in favor of such ( a 

 fence as a most complete success. If a substantial, permanent, 

 and impassable fence can be built of wire, what mean so many 

 failures in building it ? Why so many rods of worthless, ineffi 

 cient obstruction between adjoining fields, denominated wire fence, 

 which animals of all kinds pass and repass at pleasure ? The 

 reason is plain, and the remedy is very obvious and simple, and 

 the failures may all be expressed in one short sentence imper 

 fect construction. Because one or two, or one hundred, individ 

 uals have failed in building an impassable wire fence, it affords no 

 plausible reason why a most permanent and impassable fence 

 may not be erected of the same materials. We have no hesi 

 tancy in affirming, that the failures have always been, without 

 one single exception, attributable to imperfect construction, and 

 not to any deficiency or imperfection of the materials used for 

 such a purpose. 



137. But fences of wire are no longer viewed as an object of 

 doubtful utility by men of enterprise and of practical common 

 sense, in building fences of any kind. Wire fences, with posts of 

 durable wood or of iron, are among the most permanent, impassable, 

 and economical fences which can be erected, especially in locali 

 ties where materials, in the shape of stone or wood, cannot be 

 obtained at a fair price. It argues a great destitution of the 

 knowledge of the strength and efficiency of materials, to admit 

 that a wire fence cannot be erected, which will turn, most effect 

 ually, the most unruly animals that any one has no fears of giv 

 ing their liberty in the open fields. 



