236 



ENGINEERING ON THE FARM 



WIRE FENCING 



Height. The proper height of a fence varies with the 

 kind of stock to be inclosed and the individual preferences 

 of the landowner. On ranch lands in the West three barbed 

 wires at a maximum height of 42 inches are used, although 

 a height of 48 inches is more desirable. The wire must 

 extend close enough to the ground to prevent the smallest 



Fig. 199. A braced steel line post in a woven wire fence with one barbed 



wire on top 



inclosed animals from crawling under and should be high 

 enough to prevent the largest from jumping over. A 

 barbed wire placed along the top of any class of fence 

 (Fig. 199) is desirable unless the fence is of such height 

 that an animal cannot reach over it with its head. Some 

 fence builders recommend placing a barbed wire close to the 

 ground when the main part of the fence is made of woven 

 wire, the object being to prevent animals from crawling 

 under the fence. The spacing should be such that animals 

 cannot insert their heads between the wires. The spacing 

 between barbed wires can be considerably greater than 

 between smooth wires, since the barbed wire will not have 

 so great a strain, the barbs preventing the stock from 



