34 THE PEOPLE 'S FARM AND STOCK CYCLOPEDIA. 



II. 



FENCING, 



THE history of farm fencing in our country is a good illustra- 

 tion of the force of habit. In all the timbered regions the 

 question was, until recently, " How shall we get rid of the 

 timber?" and as straight thrifty rail timber abounded and it 

 seemed a pity to burn it, the farms were fenced into small fields, 

 often from six to ten acres each; and now with the rail timber 

 gone, and a good fence costing one dollar or more a rod, there 

 are multitudes of farmers who still retain the small fields, and 

 think they must replace every fence that was built in the early 

 pioneer days. 



I assert that half the fences in most of our States might be 

 dispensed with and the farmers would be actual gainers. A few 

 figures will show what a saving this would be. We will estimate 

 that a fence will cost one dollar a rod which is much less than 

 a good post and board fence can be built for and we find that 

 to fence a farm of one hundred and sixty acres will cost as follows : 



To inclose it, $640 00 



To divide it into forty-acre fields, 320 00 



To again divide so as to make twenty-acre fields, . . . 320 00 



And to make ten-acre fields, 320 00 



Total, $1,600 00 



Even if we count that these fences would last twenty years, 

 which is much longer than they will in most cases all this heavy 

 expense, as well as some additional for repairs, must be met again 

 at the end of this time ; and it becomes a problem of great inter- 

 est and worthy of careful study, 



How to Reduce the Cost of Fencing. Three methods 

 occur to me by which this expense can be greatly lessened. 



