28 BULLETIN 321, U. S. DEPARTMENT OP AGEICULTUKE. 



average distance in field fence is approximately 20 feet. Around 

 barn lots and pens, where stock are in closer contact with the fence, 

 they are set closer together. Many farmers set posts 1 rod apart. 

 This arrangement is a very handy one in that it furnishes a quick 

 means of measuring portions of a field. It is useful in checking up 

 the amount of work accomplished daily in doing field work. The 

 proper distance to set posts for the greatest efficiency with greatest 

 economy is a matter requiring good judgment on the part of the 

 farmer, for there are many factors involved. 



In order to construct woven-wire fencing properly certain tools 

 are necessary. These consist of a woven-wire stretcher, a single-wire 

 stretcher to be used in attaching the fence to the end posts, a pair of 

 wire cutters, a barbed-wire stretcher, a splicing tool, and hammers 

 for stapling and fastening the fence. Some device should be used to 

 unroll the barbed and woven wire. This may be done by attaching 

 the roll of wire to the back of a wagon so that it will unreel as the 

 wagon is drawn ahead, as shown in the illustration (PL III, fig. 

 2), or it can be unreeled by running a bar through the core and 

 drawing it along with a horse. Before the wire is stretched the 

 fence row should be freed from obstructions, and ridges and un- 

 even surfaces should be smoothed off so the fence will be straight on 

 the ground. The wire should be securely attached to one of the end 

 posts and then unreeled. If there is not wire enough in the roll 

 to cover the length of the stretch to be fenced, more may be spliced 

 on to it in the manner shown in Plate III, figure 1. 



After the wire is unrolled it should be drawn up to the line of 

 posts and freed from adhering trash. The stretchers are then at- 

 tached, leaving plenty of chain to draw up the slack in the wire. 

 The stretching should be continued until the line wires are so taut 

 that they can not be pressed together by the hand. If the ground 

 is uneven, the fence should not be stretched so tight that the wire 

 can not be drawn to its proper height on the posts. After the 

 fence is stretched it should be securely fastened *to the corner to- 

 ward which it is being stretched. The next step is to fasten the 

 wire on the line posts. In doing this the line wires should be kept 

 as nearly horizontal as possible. They should not be allowed to 

 follow small irregularities in the ground line and thus zigzag up 

 and down from post to post. The fabric should not be fastened 

 tightly to each post; the staples or ties should permit horizontal 

 movement of the wire. This will allow the weight of the fence to 

 come directly on the corner posts, and will take care of the con- 

 traction and expansion of the wire caused by varying weather con- 

 ditions; also if a blow is delivered against the fence it will not be 

 borne alone by the fabric and posts at the point struck, but the 

 force of it will be distributed along the entire fence line. The 

 barbed wire should be stretched and fastened after the fabric has 

 been fastened in place. It should be placed about 4 inches above 



