284 AMERICAN AGRICULTURE. 



to be removed at a designated time, when each occupant is 

 at liberty to turn upon the common premises, a number of 

 cattle proportionate to his standing forage, which is accurate- 

 ly ascertained by a supervisory board. A certain number of 

 fences are necessary for such fields as are continued in pas- 

 ture through the season, but unfortunately, custom in this 

 country has increased them beyond all necessity or reason. 

 It rests with the farmers to abate such as they deem con- 

 sistent with their interests. 



The kind of fences required, must vary according to 

 the controlling circumstances of the farm. In those situa- 

 tions where stone abounds, and especially if it is a nuisance, 

 heavy stone fences (broad and high) are undoubtedly the 

 most proper. Where these are not abundant, an economical 

 fence may be constructed, by a substantial foundation of stone, 

 reaching two or two and a half feet above ground, in 

 which posts are placed at proper distances, with two or three 

 bar holes above the wall, in which an equal number of rails 

 are inserted. Post and rail, and post and board fences are 

 common where there is not a redundancy of timber. 



The posts should be placed from two and a half to three 

 feet below the surface, in the centre of a large hole and sur- 

 rounded by fine stone, which must be well pounded down by 

 a heavy, iron-shod rammer, as they are filled in. The post 

 will not stand as firmly at first as if surrounded by dirt, but 

 it will last much longer. The lower end should be pointed, 

 which prevents its heaving with the frost. If the position 

 of the post while in the tree be reversed, or the upper end 

 of the split section of the trunk which is used for a post, be 

 placed in the earth, it will be more durable. Charring or 

 partially burning the part of the post which is buried, will 

 add to its duration. So also will imbedding it in ashes, 

 lime, charcoal or clay ; or it may be bored at the surface 

 with a large auger, diagonally downwards and nearly 

 through, then filled with salt, and closely plugged. 



The best timber for posts in the order of its durability, 

 is red cedar, yellow locust, white oak and chestnut, for the 

 northern and middle States. I recently saw red cedar posts 

 in use for a porch which, I was assured had been standing ex- 

 posed to the weather previous to the Revolution, a period 

 of over 70 yearsj and they were still perfectly sound. The 

 avidity with which silicious sands and gravel act upon wood, 

 renders a post fence expensive for such soils. 



There are large portions of our country where timber 



