36 COMMISSION OF CONSERVATIOX 



whole area is not perfectly level, care must be taken 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 30 inches wide, made of No. 14 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 a fox almost 

 always begins to burrow close to the fence, the carpet wire will prevent 

 him from burrowing under it. 



The most durable wire yet used has been imported from 

 Used Great Britain. It is specially woven with an extra twist, 



and has a selvedge of three wires on the ends as well 

 as the sides. In the smaller sizes a triple turn is made. The galvaniz- 

 ing, which is done after weaving, practically solders the joints. It 

 comes in bales of 150 feet length and is of various widths. The best 

 wire will last only from eight to twelve years underground. Figures 

 submitted by a hardware firm which has made a specialty of handling 

 wire netting for ranches, prove that they alone, sold wire enough to 

 build more than sixty miles of fox-proof fence. 



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. 



