144 MISCELLANEOUS FARM SUBJECTS 



rusting badly, to the great disgust of the owners. In many cases 

 these were 12-wire fences, 58 inches high, or 10-wire fences, 52 

 inches high, although they were performing service for which 6- 

 wire fence, 35 inches high, with perhaps a single additional wire, 

 would have answered. 



There is a practical limit to the increase of size in the wires and, 

 except for certain special purposes, the use of heavier wires than No. 

 9 gauge is not recommended. Larger sizes increase the weight un- 

 necessarily and the wires are so stiff that it is difficult for the user to 

 handle and stretch the fabric. No. 9 gauge wire is strong enough 

 for every practical purpose and can be made of low-carbon or so- 

 called mild steel, which is much easier for a farmer to handle and 

 fasten than high-carbon or spring steel. (Y. B. 1909.) 



Poultry Netting. This form of wire construction naturally 

 calls for a much lighter gauge wire than ordinary farm fencing. 

 Poultry and rabbit fencing is furnished in a number of different 

 designs by the manufacturers, but the kind most generally used is 

 known as hexagon poultry netting. This is usually made in two 

 different grades by the manufacturers. One grade is galvanized 

 after fabricating or weaving the mesh ; the other grade is made from 

 about 20-gauge wire previously galvanized. It is safe to say that the 

 second grade is not fit to use, and should never be purchased by any* 

 one who desires to build a lasting structure. If first cost is a great 

 consideration it would be wiser to make the poultry runs smaller 

 and select the better grades of wire. It is easy to distinguish be- 

 tween these two grades of poultry netting, as that which is woven of 

 wire previously galvanized w T ill readily untwist, while in the other 

 grade the twist will be found to be stuck together by the zinc coat- 

 ing. (Y. B. 1909.) 



There are several ways of adding to the life of fence posts. One 

 method is by dipping in a solution of corrosive sublimate. The so- 

 lution should have one part of corrosive sublimate to 150 parts of 

 water. The salt is very difficult to dissolve, but if placed in a small 

 amount of hot water the time required for dissolving will be short- 

 ened. It can then be diluted by adding the required amount of cold 

 water. It is very poisonous and should be used with great caution. 

 It is best to use the solution in wooden, cement or crockery vessels. 

 The timber should be soaked long enough to allow the solution to 

 penetrate the posts effectively. Another cheap process is treating 

 with zinc chloride. Still another is by dipping the lower end of the 

 post in crude petroleum to a sufficient distance to come above the 

 ground line when the post is set, and then burning off the oil so as 

 to char the end. (Wy. E. S. B. 75; F. B. 320.) 



Concrete Posts. As a material for the construction of fence 

 posts, concrete has not only very few of the disadvantages and prac- 

 tically all of the advantages of wooden posts, but it is also superior to 

 timber in some respects. In the first cost concrete posts may be more 

 or less expensive than the wooden posts, according to the locality. 

 This depends upon the timber supply, the deposits of gravel and 

 rock, and the skill exercised by the person making the concrete posts. 



