512 



NEW ENGLAND FAR:\IER. 



Nov. 



V.\v\>\."*-'S>"^ \.\ 



—-*!^- 



SELF-FASTENING POKTABLE FENCE. 



Before entering upon a description of this fence 

 it is proper for us to say to the reader that we have 

 not used it, or seen it in use, and judge of it 

 merely from its appearance, as the model, some 

 six or eight feet in length, stands before us. From 

 this view, however, we do not doubt but the fence 

 will be a good-looking, cheap, and effective one, 

 and feel no hesitation in recommending a trial of 

 it by those who need wood fences. The fence is 

 called by the inventor, "Vandemark's Self-Fas- 

 tening, or Hook and Eye Portable Fence," and he 

 makes the following statement in relation to it : 



The obsei-ving farmer will readily perceive the 

 numerous advantages of a Portable Fence which 

 can be easily pw^ up, taken doivn and removed 

 from place to place, as convenience may require. 



The panels constructed upon the plan of this 

 patent will make either a Worm, Straight, Square 

 or Circular Fence. Note also the following facts. 



1st. It can be made in bad weather or in win- 

 ter, when farm hands are commonly idle. 



2d. The fence being all above ground, will last 

 without repair twice as long as a post and board 

 fence. 



3d. It is all made of inch boards, and so sim- 

 ple in its construction that any farmer can make 

 it with a hand-saw and hammer. 



4th. The same panel will make either a straight 

 or zigzag fence, a square or circular enclosure. 

 When straight, it is supported by a triangular 

 brace put in between the end battens or uprights, 

 as shown m the above cut, and made of the same 

 material as the fence. 



It is advisable to use 10 feet rails, 5 inches 

 wide by 1 inch thick. 1,000 feet of lumber will 



build 27 rods of this fence, which will make the 



material — 



"Where lumber is $3,00 per M cost 29 cents per rod. 



10,00 

 12,00 

 14,00 

 10,00 

 18,00 



With lumber at $12 per M., and posts at 13 

 cents each, there will be a saving of $8 on every 

 20 rods of this fence. 



The triangular brace shown above and spoken 

 of under the 4th head, may be dispensed with and 

 a couple of stakes used by driving one end slight- 

 ly into the ground and sawing a notch in the oth- 

 er and sliding it under one of the boards. We 

 intend to put it in use in the spring on our farm, 

 where those interested can see it if they wish to. 



BEES AND CATS. 



From experiments which I have tried, I have 

 found that the visits of humble bees, if not indis- 

 pensable, are at least beneficial to the fertilization 

 of our clover, (I'rif'olitim pratense.) as other bees 

 cannot reach the nectar. Hence I have very lit- 

 tle doubt that if the whole genus of humble bees 

 became extinct or very rare in England, the heart- 

 ease and red clover would become very rare, or 

 wholly disap])ear. The number of humble bees 

 in any district depends in a great degree upon the 

 number of field mice, which destroy their combs 

 and nests ; and Mr. II. Newman, who has long 

 attended to the habits of humble bees, believes 

 "that more than two-thirds of them are thus des- 

 troyed all over England." Now the number of 

 mice is largely dependent, as every one knows, on 

 the number of cats ; and Mr. Newman says, 

 "Near villages and small towns I have found the 

 nests of humble bees more numerous than else- 



