2 BULLETIN 321, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



use of figures given in the reports of the last census, combined with 

 data obtained in the studies of this office. In 1909 there were 6,361,502 

 farms in the United States, averaging 138.1 acres each. It has been 

 found that the average 140-acre farm requires 6 rods of fence to the 

 acre, or a total of 828.6 rods to the farm. This would mean that 

 there were in round numbers 5,271,000,000 rods or 16,472,000 miles of 

 fence in use in the United States in 1910. This amount of fence 

 would encircle the earth about 659 times. To replace this with only 

 a medium grade of woven-wire fence, a type which has been very 

 commonly used by American farmers in the past, would cost, at the 

 rate of 65 cents per rod for wire, posts, miscellaneous materials, and 

 labor, $3,426,241,362, which is 8.3 per cent of the total value of all 

 farm property, 12 per cent of the value of all farm land, 54.1 per cent 

 of the value of farm buildings, 69.5 per cent of the value of domestic 

 animals, poultry, and bees on farms, and more than double the value 

 of all implements and machinery on farms, according to the values 

 estimated for these items by the last census. It must be borne in 

 mind, however, that the figures represent the first cost of fences, 

 while the census figures represent the present value of buildings and 

 machinery. Therefore the ratio will not be quite as great. 



It may be fairly assumed that the average woven-wire fence, con- 

 structed of materials which will permit its erection at a cost not to 

 exceed 65 cents per rod, will not give satisfactory service for more 

 than 15 years. Assuming this to be the case, the renewal cost of 

 farm fences in the United States would amount to $228,416,090 

 annually. Data obtained by this office show that there is an annual 

 repair charge of 0.024 cent per rod on woven-wire fence. At this 

 rate the repair charges on all fences in the United States will total 

 $126,507,373. The interest on investment at 5 per cent is $171,312,068. 

 Totaling these three items gives an annual upkeep charge of $526,- 

 235,531, or a cost of $82.72 per farm, or 59 cents per acre, or 15.37 

 per cent of the value of the fence as above estimated. There is, of 

 course, a great deal of fencing that is not made of woven wire, but 

 the depreciation, repair, and investment charges on it would be even 

 greater than in the case of woven wire. 



The relation of farm fences to the economics of farming has re- 

 ceived very little attention in this country — far less than its impor- 

 tance would seem to justify. It was thought, therefore, that a study 

 of farm fences conducted in an area where they were most indis- 

 pensable might develop some facts that would be of value in estab- 

 lishing economic standards for fencing. It is the purpose of this 

 bulletin to present the essential features of farm-fence practice as 

 found in the North Central States, and to make suggestions to those 

 interested in fence management. 



