188 [Assembly 



Divide 15,000,000 acres by 20, they make 750,000 fields. These 

 multiplied by 120 rods, the length of fence necessary to enclose 

 each field, makes 90,000,000 rods. Say they cost on an average 

 75 cents per rod, this would amount to the sura of $67,000,000 

 for fencing the State of New-York alone. Allow this to be one- 

 twentieth the cost of all the fences in the United States, and the 

 result w^ould be $1,350,000,000! these fences on an average 

 would last 25 years ; the cost would then be |54,000,000 per 

 annum, which, with !|81, 000,000 of interest at six per cent, on 

 the first cost, amounts to |135,000,000 annually, expended in 

 the United States for fences. The farmers in the United States 

 were 'born and educated under this erroneous and hurtful sys- 

 tem of fences, and consequently they imagine that there is no 

 possibility of existing without them. There are numerous other 

 reasons why they should be abandoned. 



1st. Tliey entirely destroy the landscape beauty of the coun- 

 try, and are decidedly odious to all beliolders. 



2d. They form a receptacle for snow, and collect drifts on 

 either side of them, delaying the operations of the husbandman 

 in spring. 



3d. It is difficult to till the land successfully in their immedi- 

 ate vicinity. 



4th. They cause an inconvenience to the farmer when drawing 

 manure to, or crops from the field. 



5th. They cause disputes between neighbors, which sometimes 

 end in death, and alw^ays in bitter feelings, law suits, &c. 



6th. They induce the growth of all sorts of injurious weeds, 

 which distribute themselves over the contiguous fields of grain. 



7th. They form a place of concealment for many varieties of 

 vermin, inimical to the operations of the husbandman. 



8th. They cover, and thus render unavailable to the farmer, 

 about four acres of land out of every hundred. 



9th. And if the agriculturist is induced to borrow money, 

 nine times out of ten the object is to build with it what he con- 

 siders the fiijt req^uisite on a farm, innumerable fences. 



