FENCES 163 



fencing purposes. Wire fences, supported by the locust 

 or catalpa posts, are perhaps the best fences to construct 

 at the present time. 



The Ferguson fence. When the fence rails get old 

 and broken, farmers sometimes utilize them in building 

 what is known as the Ferguson fence. In this arrange- 

 ment posts are set in the ground and the fence rails are 

 attached to the posts by means of fencing wire and 

 staples. This is a very economical fence, not only from 

 the standpoint of materials, but also on account of the 

 saving of space in the fence row. 



Osage hedge fence. Some years ago there was a 

 great deal of enthusiasm over the Osage hedge fence, but 

 the interest in these fences is waning now, in fact, many 

 of the hedges are being pulled up and burned. The 

 chief objection to the hedge is that the extensive network 

 of roots saps the life and nourishment of the soil to such 

 an extent that farm crops can not be grown within 

 twenty or thirty feet of the fence. 



Since 1870 many states have passed stock laws re- 

 quiring every man to fence in his own stock, instead of 

 fencing out those of his neighbors. The result has been 

 a great saving to farmers in every case. 



Practical Exercises 

 1. Fences on Home Farms 



Make a list of all the different kinds of fences that 

 you have on the home farm. Explain how they are 

 made, tell how long they have been constructed, and in 

 what condition they are at present. 



