360 FARM DEVELOPMENT 



Barbed wire fences. For cattle, sheep and swine, 

 barbed wire strung on posts from one to two rods apart 

 makes a cheap and most effective fence, and for very 

 large pastures barbed wire is fairly well suited for re- 

 taining horses. There has been a great deal of criticism 

 of barbed wire fences, the larger part of which is un- 

 called for. Many critics who have seen only the senti- 

 mental phase of the question have insisted that it is 

 cruel to inclose animals by a fence 

 which is liable, accidentally, to make 

 wounds and cause pain. Barbed wire 

 fences may oc- 

 casionally in- 

 jure horses so 

 that they become 

 less salable, and 

 sometimes even 



Figure 245. Hog and cattle fence; 26-inch smooth wire hog Cripple them, 

 ribbon, with three barbed wires above. 



Barbs often 



slightly injure the skin of cattle, reducing its value 

 for leather. But when we put against these objections 

 the immense saving in the cost of barbed wire fencing 

 as compared with other forms of fences, the smaller 

 expense of keeping them in repair and their greater 

 effectiveness over most other kinds of fences in restrain- 

 ing animals, the barbed wire has the advantage for many 

 purposes. It is safe to say that more animals are in- 

 jured and suffer from breaking through wooden fences 

 and gaining access to crops of grain or very succulent 

 crops; from getting out of place and being chased by 

 dogs, than from any injuries or cuts due to barbed wire 

 cuts. With properly built wire fences stock quietly 

 submit to their confinement and feed much more con- 

 tentedly and profitably than when they are surrounded 

 by fences which they are constantly trying to rub down 

 or climb over. 



