96 Western Live-stock Management 



ground, about eight feet apart and six feet above ground, 

 with boards nailed crossways. The boards are two inches 

 thick and not less than eight inches wide, and from three 

 to six inches apart. They are always placed on the inside 

 of the post, and in case of division fences on both sides. 

 This is the most expensive under the average farm condi- 

 tions, but at the same time not sufficiently expensive to 

 prevent its use. In fact, when the material must be 

 bought, it is about as cheap as any method. 



The third common method is a plain board wall, made 

 perfectly tight out of inch boards set upright. The posts 

 are set eight feet apart, with crossbars, to which the up- 

 right boards are nailed. When built in this manner, the 

 fence does not need to be nearly so strong as when it is 

 made open so that the cattle can see through. If the 

 cattle can neither see over the fence nor through the 

 cracks, they will not make nearly as much effort to get 

 out. This type of fence also serves as a windbreak, which 

 is often of great advantage around the barns or feed-lots 

 in a windy country. It can also be made to look well, 

 especially when the boards and crossbars are made of 

 dressed lumber and nicely painted. This style of fence is 

 not used as much as it should be. (See Pig. 8.) 



The fourth method of building corral fences is the old- 

 style stake fence, formerly rather common in the range 

 districts. It is built of posts only and has no cross bars 

 of any kind. The posts are set as close together as they 

 can stand, and are made as high as desired. Usually the 

 tops are fastened together by one or two wires or strips of 

 rawhide running around the top. In the early days of 

 the range industry posts and lumber were practically 

 out of the question and in the desert regions where the 

 only building material obtainable was scrawny juniper or 



