52 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[February, 
An Important Suggestion comes to us from a sub¬ 
scriber in Western Kansas (his address we have 
mislaid for the moment), who has had considerable 
experience with barbed fences—a suggestion that 
may count somewhat towards obviating the strong¬ 
est objection to barbed fences. He raises a line of 
low embankment along under the fence wires by 
turning in furrows from either side. The ridge 
thus formed, together with the furrow left on each 
side of it, arrest the attention and progress of ani¬ 
mals before they actually reach the barbed wires, 
and helps prevent their being injured seriously. 
[Explanatory Note.— The “ Horse-nail Barb ” 
(No. 1) was described in our last two articles, as 
practically the first attempt at barb-fencing. This 
has been called in question very strongly by corres¬ 
pondents, and it appears to be a point of some in¬ 
terest in the litigation among several owners of 
barbed-fence patents. We desire, therefore, to say 
that we know nothing as to the history of the 
matter, and care nothing. We gave the “horse- 
nail ” story as we heard it, as it seemed very plausi¬ 
ble, and on this account we supposed it true. Our 
sketch was made from a specimen now in our 
office, which we found in our search after sam¬ 
ples.—The history of barbed-fencing may be of de¬ 
cided importance to patentees, and we have seen 
scores of pages on the subject, in print and in 
manuscript. What we are after in these talks is 
to get at the best present forms of iron or steel 
fence, taking into accouut effectiveness, safety, econo¬ 
my, and durability, with a little care also for good 
looks; and not only to gather and present to our 
readers all the information we can, but also to 
stimulate further improvements in this direction.] 
No. 27. “ Flexible Wooden Barbed Fence. 1 ’— 
This is made of wooden strips, about an inch square 
ind 4 feet long, with hooked attachments on each 
end, and pieces of wire put through at any desired 
distances apart to serve as barbs. After comple¬ 
tion, the wooden strips are soaked in hot coal-tar 
or hot paint of any desired color, and transported 
in bundles. Among other points, it is claimed 
that it is flexible, is seen by the animals, and is 
little affected by heat and cold. We have not seen 
it in use, and can not judge as to its strength, and 
do not know its cost. Properly saturated it would 
be durable, but not be proof against prairie fires. 
No. 28. “Betts’ Ready-Made Wire Fencing.”— 
This consists of six No. 10 wires firmly stapled to 
upright pickets, 15 to 30 in a rod. The pickets are, 
say lxli inch and from 21 to 5 feet long, as desired. 
They may be of uniform length, or alternate long 
and short ones. A very ingenious machine rapidly 
applies the pickets to the continuous wires, dis¬ 
tributes and drives home the staples, and winds the 
whole in a roll, the rolls usually containing about 6 
rods each for transportation. It is fastened to the 
posts with staples over the wires. Among the 
claims for it are: that cattle can not get their heads 
between the wires; that the wires mutually sup¬ 
port each other and fewer posts are needed ; that 
animals can see it and will not run against it; that 
it is portable, and can be moved by drawing the 
staples and rolling it together ; that it is ornamen¬ 
tal, etc., etc. The cost varies from 90 cents per 
rod for undressed pickets, 15 to rod (weight 20 lbs. 
per rod), to $1.60 per rod for 30 long and short, 
dressed and pointed pickets to the rod, having a 
weight of 32 lbs. per rod. Albert C. Betts, Patentee. 
At least half a dozen of our readers have sent us 
samples of various forms of wooden, and especial¬ 
ly of tin “tags,” to be attached to both plain and 
barbed fence wire as signals which may be seen by 
animals that would otherwise run against and 
break the plain wires, or be injuriously wounded 
by barbs. We select the first sample at hand (the 
sender’s name is not given with it). The tags are 
bits of bright tin ot any form, cut from waste scraps 
and hung on one or two feet apart, more or ’.ess. 
No. 30.—Mr. John Bartlett, of Ontario, referring 
to the barbed-steel strap, No. 21, seDds .us No. 30, 
which he suggests would save the waste of cutting 
out, and perhaps be effective. Two cuttings are 
made in the side of the strap, leaving a cone-sec¬ 
tion barb in the center, and the two comers are 
turned out as horizontal barbs, one on either side. 
One objection is that the strap is materially weaken¬ 
ed at the barbed points by so much as it i6 cut into. 
No. 31—“Cable” Fencing Wire.—This consists 
of five No. 14 galvanized wires twisted together as 
shown in the engraving, which gives a side view, 
and an end section of the exact size of the sample. 
It is sufficiently strong to resist breakage by any 
domestic animals, and will answer well where barbs 
are objectionaDle, and the first cost of less ac¬ 
count than strength and permanence. It will make 
a neat village fence. The present cost is 4 cts. per 
yard, or 22 cts. per rod for each cable. Manufac¬ 
tured by Philip S. Justice, as per advertisement. 
flow fai and where it may be expedient to use 
the leading varieties of barbed fencing is still an 
open question for examination and discussion. 
Also, which of the various kinds are the best for 
general use, when any may be used. One thing is 
pretty well settled, viz.: that none of the long 
sharp-pointed barbs, having perpendicular sides, 
or those nearly so, and none of those inclined in 
any direction to act partially as hooks, are adapted 
for use along highways or where clothing will be 
likely to come in contact with them. None of the 
above barbs are adapted to small inclosures, or 
where valuable animals are in danger of contact 
with the long, sharp points of any form. Though 
they may be so shortened as to remove danger of 
fatal injury, disfiguring sores and scars will be pro¬ 
duced. Something in the form of the “ Brinker- 
hoff Improved,” with sides so inclined as to pre¬ 
vent catching and tearing, and so short as not to 
produce deep incisions when struck squarely, will 
need to be provided. We understand that the kind 
referred to is not yet in the market. Whether it 
is or not, the field is open to inventors and manu¬ 
facturers, and the public want must be and will be 
soon met. Hundreds of thousands of land owners, 
both of farms and village plots—all over the coun¬ 
try, and especially at the West and Southwest—are 
desirous of changing from wooden to cheaper, 
more durable metal fencing, and iron posts are in¬ 
cluded in the demand—those good enough, simple 
enough, and cheap enough for general farm fences. 
Two Years’ Business—1878... 1879. 
The following approximate figures are exceed¬ 
ingly interesting, as showing not only the. aggre¬ 
gates of several varieties of products, but also the 
great increase in 1879 over the previous year—1878 
itself being in most things a considerable advance 
over the previous four or five years of depression. 
1878. 
1879. 
Increase. 
1 420,600,000 
1 $150,000,000 
$265,500,000 
4 8,000,000 
124,000,000 
t 
488,700,001 
$000,000,000 
$825,000,900 
364,000,090 
181.400,000 
6S,7fC,0C0 
$r o,roo,ooo 
$66,0 0,010 
d 49,006,000 
57,400,000 
944,100 (?) 
4,566.200 
1,025,400 
4,894 7l0 
81,300 
328,500 
18,600,000 
$87,576,000 
$37,248,000 
$74,824,000 
27,800,000 
$3!, 410,000 
$87,032,000 
$68,502,000 
9,200,000 
d $6,106,000 
d $216,000 
d $C,322,000 
829,100,000 
402,800,000 
73,700,000 
$88,937,000 
$96,557,000 
$7,620,000 
Hay crop, value... 
Oat crop, bush.... 
Potato crop, bush. 
Butter.rec. at N Y. 
after Jan. l.pkgs. 
Cotton rec.. bales. 
Coal produced. 
Anthracite tons. 
Gold mined... 
Silver mined. 
Tot'l Gold & Silver 
Petroleum export¬ 
ed, galls . 
20 Railroads, gross 
earnings .I 
Clearing House 
Exchanges .$28,327,000,000 $38 912,000,000 $iC2)85,000,000 
The first four items are estimated, but they are 
doubtless not far out of the way, the figures in 
the table being drawn from what is considered 
good authority, the “ N. Y. Commercial Bulletin.” 
The above figures show that during 1879 the busi¬ 
ness done through the Clearing Houses in a few of 
the leading cities alone, amounted to nearly thirty- 
Nine Thousand Million Dollars —an increase over 
1878 of more than Ten Thousand Million Dollar*. 
More Pleasant Figures. 
We have before us two full years’ reports for the 
years ending Dec. 1, in 1879 and 1878 respectively. 
Omitting the specie, wc have the following aggre¬ 
gates, in specie values, for agricultural products, 
manufactures, etc., classed together as 
MERCHANDISE : 
months ending Nov. 30,1878. Nov. 30 1879. 
Exports from United States .. .$739,895,889 $751,812,1S3 
Imports. . . 430.830,228 485.523,711 
Excess of Exports.$309,005,061 $266,288,072 
Excess of Exports for two years.. ....$575,354,324 
That is to say, our country has sold abroad over 
five hundred and seventy-five million Dollars' worth 
of its products more than we have imported from 
other countries. This has been paid to us largely 
- in the form of returned government and other 
bonds held abroad, and partly by sending us specie, 
of which we received $60,239,811 more than we 
exported, thus— 
GOLD AND SILVER. 
12 months ending Nov. 30,1878. Nov. 30, 1879. 
Exports from United States... $27,322,551 $25,097,155 
Imports. 28.823,125 86.837,540 
Excess....(—)$1,500,574 -f $61,740,385 
The influx of specie may continue awhile, though 
temporarily stopped by the speculation in grain 
which has earned prices above the shipping point. 
This cannot continue long, for either the foreign 
demand, when the present stock of breadstuffs is 
reduced, will raise prices there to correspond with 
the present prices here of grain and flour, or prices 
here will come down to a figure at which foreign 
buyers will take our products. Which event will 
happen, we cannot of course predict with any 
certainty. The “ probabilities ” are that there will 
be some concession on both sides. High prices 
will diminish consumption greatly. „ It maybe said, 
in a general way that, other things being equal, 
foreign nations would buy and consume twice as 
much of our wheat if it cost them $1.25 a bushel, 
as they would if it cost them $1.75 per bushel. 
In the latter case they would much more largely 
resort to otner and cheaper foods. For these 
reasons the present speculation in grain is to be 
deprecated. The higher rates benefit the produ¬ 
cers very little, and may do them much injury if 
the result be a failure to find a market for the re¬ 
maining surplus we have to spare. 
