110 



FENCES. 



wortli sixty-five million dollars every twelve montlis. 

 Is it not pretty evident that we have yet to learn the 

 true value of the food of agricultural plants? Pub- 

 lic opinion hardly tolerates the study of vegetable 

 and animal physiology in our common schools, even 

 in rural districts. Hence, neither the production of 

 crops, nor the growth of domesticated animals, nor 

 the wonderful adaptation of each to the other, is duly 

 considered. If manure is so valuable as we have 

 shown, to increase the oil of olives, how much more 

 important is it to augment the growth of apples, 

 pears, peaches, and other fruit? 



fifty yards will not answer. Strained tightly during 

 the summer season, the cold of winter will operate 

 with irresistible power to injure and destroy them. 



There remains the use of hedge plants; and of all 

 that have come under our notice, the Osage orange 

 bids fair to surpass all others. Objections are made 

 by some to hedges of any description, as occupying 

 too much ground, thus rendering unavailable for use 

 large portions of a farm. We question whether any 

 properly made hedge would occupy any more ground 

 than the common worm fence; and there would be 

 much less growth of weeds and worthless shrubs in 



The subject of- fences is one of great and increas- 

 ing interest to farmers and landholders, and the annual 

 expense of maintaining enclosures in good condition, 

 to say nothing of the rapidly diminishing supply of 

 fencing material from our forests, is a heavy percent- 

 age on the profits of cultivation. In a very few years 

 our choice will be confined to two materials — iron in 

 its various forms and arrangements, and hedge plants. 



We see it stated in our eastern exchanges that a 

 gentlemen of Lowell, Massachusetts, has invented a 

 machine for weavmg wire into sections or panels, 

 which, by reason of their peculiar construction, ob- 

 viate one material objection to the use of iron for 

 fences, viz , the liabhty to derangement from the effects 

 of heat and cold. It can be furnished according to 

 the purposes required, at from ?1.2;j to $1.75 per 

 rod, and when once set will last, with proper care, for 

 one's life-time. Unless very carefully constructed, 

 and proper allowance made for expansion and con- 

 traction, fences made of iron wire strained between 



VIEW OF SUG.^R GROVE FARM. 



and around a hedge fence than is customary in the 

 corners of fences. We believe the Osage orange will 

 be found equally as hardy as the Isabella grape, and 

 endure about the same degree of exposure. Its 

 sharp thorns springing out at the base of each leaf- 

 stalk, its comparative exemption from the depreda- 

 tions of insects, its rapid growth and endurance of 

 close trimming and pruning, are weighty arguments 

 in favor of its use. 



A hedge on the farm of Mr. James McGrew, in 

 Montgomery county, Ohio, has been set about four 

 years,"and is so compact and broad at the ground, 

 that neither fowls nor pigs can pass it, and so high 

 that the most unruly animal would not attempt to 

 jump it. Professor Turner, of IlUnois, in au article 

 on hedges, says : 



" On this place of 150 acres, requiring, as I have 

 stated, four miles of fence to put it in perfect order, 

 I calculate that I am saving, in cash, at least $200 

 per annum, in all coming time, by using hedges rath- 

 er than rails, aside entirely from the additional com- 

 fort, security and beauty of the hedge. 



As regards comfort, I can only say that I now 



posts at intervals of from fifty to one hundred and ' write with my eye resting upon a hedge about four 



