2 BULLETIN 321, U. S. DEPAETMENT OF AGEICULTURE. 
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. 
