22 DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



opposite side of the post to the boards. Split cedar boards are the cheapest, that 

 is of really good splitting cedar; galvanized barbed wire is the next, and fir sawn 

 boards are the most costly, though many people think they make the best fence 

 and look the best. For dairying and small fruits, hogs and sheep, any of the above 

 fences are equally good, but if you are keeping high-grade horses it is as well to use 

 either a post and rail fence or a post and board fence with no barbed wire. 



The best fence, however, beyond any doubt, is a heavy woven wire, and while 

 this is a little more expensive it is often the cheapest in the long run. These woven- 

 wire fences, however, do not stretch well on rolling or uneven ground, for which 

 it is necessary to get what is known as a hinge-weave fence. This is generally 

 much lighter, the top and bottom wires being the only ones that are stretched. 

 It is very serviceable, but should have a barbed wire stretched on that side of the 

 fence on which it is likely horses will be running, as otherwise the horses rub them- 

 selves on the fence and very soon spoil it. The barbed wire will keep them off 

 without hurting them. It is generally stretched about 3 feet 6 inches to 4 feet from 

 the ground. One of the most satisfactory and at the same time one of the cheapest 

 fences is a comparatively light woven wire, about 3 feet, for hog-proofing, with two 

 barbed wires on the top to bring it up to 4 feet 6 inches in height. This is slightly 

 cheaper than the full-sized woven wire, lasts just about as long, and does not get 

 out of shape so readily through people climbing over it, as they can get through 

 between the barbed wires. Many people object to barbed wire and use a spring 

 steel wavy wire and wooden slats. While this looks very neat, it is an expensive 

 fence, as it takes so long to set it up and the wooden slats are constantly getting 

 broken. For a small farm, however, this is probably one of the neatest fences. 



In a board and wire fence on the roadside, where light driven posts alternate 

 with heavy posts, it is a good plan to plant alongside or behind the light driven 

 posts a young tree of some ornamental kind, say Lombardy poplar, maple or walnut, 

 or some of the thorn or crap-apple varieties ; they cost little or nothing to plant and 

 add very much to the appearance of the farm, and by the time the light post has 

 rotted out you have a living tree to take its place. These trees are not needed as 

 a wind-brake, but afford shade for cattle. 



If living trees are being utilized for fence-posts, never staple the wire on to 

 the tree, since, as the tree grows, it gradually grows around the wire, and the tree 

 will eventually break off at this point. The proper way to do is to nail a light slat 

 on the side of the tree on which the fence is being built say 3x2 inches and 

 staple the wire on to that. If a nail not too heavy is used, the swelling of the tree 

 as it grows will gradually force the nail and board out together, but if a long, heavy 

 nail is used it will force the board out but retain the nail, which is gradually 

 covered up by the growth of new wood as the tree gets bigger. When this happens 

 all that is necessary is to nail on a new piece of 3 x 2. 



While on the subject of fencing it should not be forgotten that at the end of 

 the first year's clearing there will probably be only one boundary permanently cleared, 

 and that is that part of the clearing fronting on the road ; a permanent fence, either 

 post, board, and wire, or a straight post and rail fence, can be built on this. The 

 same kind of fence can be built on the side-lines if your neighbour has also cleared 

 up to the line, but on the back line a temporary snake-fence of 16-foot rails should 

 be built. The next year, if the clearing is extended, it may be necessary to take 

 this down before burning, and in any case after the burning it will want moving, 

 so as to include the new clearing. It is as well not to build any permanent fencing 

 for a year or two except on your boundaries, until you have a good amount of 

 clearing done and can get an idea as to how the fields are to be divided. 



HINTS AS TO CORDWOOD. 



Since the first two editions of this bulletin were printed, so far as cordwood is 

 concerned many changes have taken place in this Province. At that time cordwood 

 was sold on the river-banks at from $2 to $2.50 a cord and was used chiefly by 



