28 BULLETIN 321^ U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
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 (PI. Ill, 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 
