328 HOME LIFE IN FLORIDA. 



iu his possessions in such a manner as shall effectually pre- 

 vent the leaping over by horses or cattle, or the creeping 

 under by the other obnoxious class of rovers. 



That the law should actually decree that the property 

 of one man worth, say twenty dollars, shall be free to de- 

 stroy and raid upon the property of another man worth ten 

 times as much, not counting the expenditure of time and 

 labor in creating the latter, seems too barbarous to be cred- 

 ible in these enlightened days. 



This law says tliat a planter must erect a fence nine rails 

 hio-h and above these rails affix others by " stake and rider." 

 This is to keep roving cattle and horses from leaping over. 

 Then the base of this fence must be laid in small rails, so 

 that they may be close enough to deter ' * razor-backs " from 

 creeping under. 



A few years ago we noted in one of our State papers an 

 article from a prominent orange-grower, which is so apro- 

 pos that we can not do better than quote from it. 



*' Myself and neighbors have done and still have to do 

 considerable fencing. In fact the heaviest immediate out- 

 lay, when extending our groves or fields, is for the fences 

 that vv^e have to make to keep our neighbors' worthless 

 * razor - backs ' from destro3dng the result of our labors. 

 Now, by a little figuring, I find that I could well afford to 

 pay one hundred dollars, if thereby I could have the hogs 

 shut up so that I should have only to fence against cattle. 

 To have the cattle also fenced in would be worth at least 

 another hundred dollars to me to-day, to say nothing of 

 the great saving iu the future by reason of not having to 

 keep in repair the fences already built and by the increased 

 fertility of my land if not burned off by the stockmen each 

 year. 



"While thinking this matter over, a neighbor, who has 

 just cast his lot with us and purchased five acres of land, 



