214 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



panics. Along these lines the neglected summer vegetation 

 furnishes quick fuel after the frost has killed it down. The 

 farmers' brush and rail fences are in constant peril of destruc- 

 tion from the same cause. Barb-wire fences stand securely 

 against the quick, short burning of the dry herbage which 

 only chars the posts. Barb fence cannot be burned down, 

 or destroyed by wind or flood. 



6. In snow regions barb fencing accumulates no snow- 

 drifts in roadways or on the field borders. The former are 

 a cost to the public ; the latter a large source of detention 

 and loss in spring work to the farmers. In numerous towns 

 in New England the local authorities, recognizing this merit 

 of barb wire, are suppi}ing the article to farmers where the 

 exposure of the roadway causes drifts in winter, that they 

 may replace the wood fences by long custom removed at 

 such places in the snow periods. 



7. It occupies only a strip of soil, and shades none. It 

 gives no shelter to pests of the crop, vegetable, animal or 

 insect. 



8. These are some of the already familiar reasons why 

 barb fencing has come into its present place of prominence 

 in our farming. To amplify these would be needless here. 



BARB WIRE IN USE. 



But there are certain important historical facts and as- 

 pects that belong to the introduction of barb fencing that de- 

 serve to be considered here. To this our age nobly belongs 

 a care for dumb beasts, from which has resulted organizations 

 which have special heed to cruelty to animals. The sharp 

 fence barb was instantly challenged as a cruel resort. It 

 shows the exceeding stress of the fence need that barb fenc- 

 ing went forward under such a challenge to the breadth of 

 adoption it has gained in seven years. It has not been left 

 without formal inquiry in the State legislatures. Investiga- 

 tions by legislative committees in Massachusetts, New Hamp- 

 shire, Vermont, Connecticut, Ohio, Michigan, and other 

 States have been carefully made within the past three years, 

 and this after barb fencing had come into such extensive use 

 that the testimony of the best and most experienced farmers 

 could be called out. Such testimony has in everj^ instance 



