LIVESTOCK FARMING 35 



rially affect the lasting qualities of the posts, however, since the most 

 durable portion is the sap wood, which must be depended upon to per- 

 form the service. 



"The catalpa has been much planted in recent years, but the durability 

 of its wood in contact with the ground has been overestimated. Some 

 of the earlier plantations are now producing posts but they are rarely on 

 the market, except in certain sections. 



"The chestnut is much used throughout the regions where it grows 

 and posts are easily obtained, but it ranks seventh in point of durability. 



"White, chinquapin, chestnut and bur oaks — in fact, any of the white 

 oak group — produce fairly durable posts, but they rank below those 

 already named. Black ash and honey locust are not recommended 

 except for temporary fencing. The wood is not long-lived. These 

 species, however, are quite com,monly used in some sections of the 

 United States. 



"It is well to remember that the condition of the wood has much to do 

 with its lasting qualities. Trees that grow rapidly in the open do not 

 make as durable posts as those grown more slowly in the woods. Open- 

 grained posts of red cedar from fast-growing trees in the open, for in- 

 stance, would give perhaps not more than a half or one-third the sei-vice 

 of those taken from slow-growing forest trees. The same may be said of 

 any of the other timbers that have been described. 



"Posts taken from old trees on the decline do not possess the lasting 

 qualitites of those taken from young and thrifty trees. This accounts for 

 the saying so often heard that white-oak posts no longer possess the last- 

 ing qualitites they had years ago. Many of the large' white oaks in farm 

 woodlots are on the decline owing to constant abuse and old age. 



"Particularly is this true where woodlands are heavily grazed by live- 

 stock. The wood of trees that show evidences of decline has already 

 begun to decay, especially in the heartwood, even though such action is 

 not apparent, and the natural result is that the life of the post is reduced." 



Cost of Fencing a Farm. — Suppose a quarter section of land 

 is to be fenced on four sides with two fences crosswise through 

 the middle, making four 40-acre fields. One side of the quar- 

 ter adjoins a public highway. The owner will have to fence 

 the entire side of the road — 160 rods. One the other three 

 sides the expense will be shared equally with the neighbors. 

 This will mean 240 rods more. The two cross fences of 160 

 rods each will bring the total up to 720 rods. At 60 cents a 

 rod, the cost of a first-class, all-purpose fence will be $432 or 

 $2.70 per acre. Granting that the fence will last 27 years 

 which is possible even with good, well-seasoned white-oak 

 posts, where there is not too much humidity and the climate 

 is not too hot, the fence will cost only 10 cents an acre per 



