300 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST 
October, 
Written for the American Agriculturist.—Prize Articles. 
Earn Fencing.VII. 
In addition to the several kinds of per¬ 
manent fence we have already described, there 
are several others of a movable character, but 
which may be made permanent by substantial 
bracing. Such fences may be conveniently and 
economically adopted for the division of fields 
within the outside enclosures of the farm, or even 
for outside enclosures themselves, where breaehy 
cattle, horses, or swine, are not permitted to run 
at large. 
Of this kind of fence we have seen and exam¬ 
ined several different patterns, most of them pat¬ 
ented, pretty much the same in the principle on 
which they are constructed, but varying in the 
mode of making the panel, and connecting the pan¬ 
els together. Some of these we propose to present 
to the reader, with illustrative engravings, which 
we have ourselves got up without the knowledge 
or assistance of the patentees or their agents. In 
the descriptions we have adopted, in part, the 
language of the patentees. We think that in 
some little item or two, we could improve almost 
every one of these models, but it would be only in 
the insertion of a brace, now and then, from the 
top of the fence to the ground, to give them more 
strength to resist the winds, or the assaults which 
might be made upon them by unruly animals. 
These varieties offence are simply of boards, 
with the addition of now and then a joist or plank, 
as the plans of some of them will show. They 
require no posts set into the ground, and only 
braces at occasional distances to keep them in 
place. They will conform to the ordinary ine¬ 
qualities of ground, where it is not cut up by the 
too frequent interruption of sharp hills and gul¬ 
lies, and with a flat stone or wooden block under 
each joint, or connection, to raise them from con¬ 
tact with the ground, they will keep sound from 
decay many years. 
Fig. 1. Charles Vandeiiark’s Self-fastening Porta¬ 
ble ok Field Fence. 
This was patented June, 1857. The inventor 
says his design was to construct a cheap but 
durable fence, which could be readily set up and 
taken down, and when pot up, should not be lia¬ 
ble to derangement by the falling out of keys or 
wedges, from exposure to winds or unruly cattle, 
or boys. He says : “_This fence is so sim¬ 
ple in its construction that any farmer can make 
it, as the only tools necessary are a band-saw and 
hammer—thus obviating the expense of procur¬ 
ing a carpenter, as is in most cases necessary in 
the construction of other portable fences. It is 
made in separate panels, which are so construct¬ 
ed that, when put up, the fence is a perfect self¬ 
fastener, without the necessity of either posts, 
clamps, keys, wedges, or any other appendage, 
and combines more strength and durability than 
any other portable fence yet introduced. The 
panels are made with four or five boards or rails 
of equal length, the top and bottom rails project¬ 
ing more or less according to the angle desired. 
Two battens or cross pieces are required at each 
end of the panel—one across and fastened to the 
end of the two projecting rails, and the other at 
the end of the middle rails—being fastened to all 
the rails with sufficient space to receive the bat¬ 
ten of the opposite end of a corresponding panel, 
which forms the lock at the other end of the pan¬ 
el, the middle rails projecting with the first bat¬ 
ten across their ends, and the other crossing at 
the ends of the top and bottom rails.—These two 
end battens are placed on opposite sides of the 
panel, being reversed at the tw r o opposite ends of 
each.—When put together and strained length¬ 
wise, the end batten of each panel catches on to 
and binds on the second batten of the next panel, 
and thereby each corner becomes its own fasten¬ 
er and support, capable of bearing any amount of 
strain consistent with the strength of the materi¬ 
al used in the construction of the fence.—This is 
designed for a zig-zag or worm fence, but for 
small enclosures, if desired, the same panels by a 
different mode of locking can be put into a circu¬ 
lar form, or can be drawn into a straight line and 
supported by temporary posts or stakes, at suit¬ 
able distances to hold it irr an upright position.., 
It is recommended that the panels be constructed 
of full 1 inch boards, 5 inches wide, and 14 feet 
long—cutting 4 feet from each board to make the 
battens; 2i or 3 inches is wide enough for the 
end battens of each panel... 
Fig. 2 —Robinson’s Self-fastening Portable or 
Field Fence.— Patented April, 1858. 
Portability, cheapness, very little lumber, and of 
the cheapest quality—and ease of building and 
putting up are claimed. The stability is secured 
by putting it up in a serpentine or worm fence, 
and locking each panel into the next one, thus 
described by the patentees ; , .Across the end 
of each panel is fastened a cross bar, and beyond 
this cross bar each alternate horizontal bar pro¬ 
jects, as seen in the drawing. Those bars, how¬ 
ever, which project at one end of the panel do 
not project beyond the cross bar at the opposite 
end, but each horizontal bar alternating with 
those in the first set, does project, and ends as 
does the first in a projection The lock is formed 
simply by a block or cleat nailed on the opposite 
side from the end cross bar, leaving a space be¬ 
tween the two, of about five inches, which space 
may be more or less according to the desired an¬ 
gle. The separate panels being thus constructed, 
the fence is put together as follows : As only the 
alternate bars project beyond the end cross bars, 
alternate spaces will be left to receive the pro¬ 
jecting ends of the bars of the next panel. These 
two sets of projecting bars being then crossed 
and passed through each other, as seen in the 
drawing, the two panels are drawn as near into 
a straight line as possible, when the projecting 
blocks on the ends of the projecting bars, will 
catch on the cross bars, and the fence will be ren¬ 
dered firm and secure. Other panels being added, 
any length of fence may be put up in a short 
time. A fence five boards high, four inches wide, 
and twelve feet long, will require 37 feet of lum¬ 
ber, for a straight rod—which at $10 per 1000 
would cost 37 cents per rod.”... .Directions are 
also given for adding pickets to the panels. 
Fig. 3—A. B. & M. Vandemark’s Reversible Locking 
Portable Field Fence.— Patented Sept., 1858. 
Special advantages are claimed generally, and 
particularly because the panels can be adapted to 
square or round pens, and straight or zigzag fences. 
The inventor says : It has “ ... .the most compli¬ 
cated lock, is constructed in the simplest possible 
way, the rails all of a length, the battens all on the 
same side of the rails, and the panels all alike, 
which obviates the difficulty that arises in mak¬ 
ing and using all portable fences, that the pan¬ 
els are required to be made in pairs. In con¬ 
structing this fence, if either of the corners, 
shown in the drawing, are preferable, you will ob¬ 
tain the preferred corner, by placing the battens 
of the unpref'erred corner on the opposite side of 
the panels. It is recommended to use plump inch 
boards 4 or 5 inches wide, and 14 feet long, cut¬ 
ting four feet from each board to make the bat¬ 
tens. The angle is regulated by the space be¬ 
tween the end battens, which should be about 
twice the thickness of the lumber, the end bat¬ 
ten should be the width of the space between the 
battens when required to be used for a straight 
fence. When used for a straight fence, it is 
supported by a brace, constructed of the same 
material as the Fence, and in the form of a triair- 
gle, the sides of the brace lap together over the 
top of the fence, notched in the peak, and also ire 
the centre of the base, to admit the ends of the 
panels.’’ 
Fig. 4 .—Cariiart’s Portable Zigzag, and Straight 
Field Fence.— Patented. March, and Sept., 1858, 
Security, adaptation to uneven level ground, 
cheapness, easy construction in Winter under 
cover, and by any one who can use a hammer and 
saw% ete., are claimed for this. The following is 
the inventor’s description : 
“ The sections or panels are constructed of 
hoards of any desired number, length, width, of 
thickness, although 5 boards 12 feet long, 4 inches 
wide, and TJ inch thick, will be found most de¬ 
sirable The rails project beyond the batten al¬ 
ternately, from 5 to & inches, as the thickness of 
the battens and rails may require, and in these 
ends a groove is cut at one end of the panel ore 
one side, and on the opposite side at the other 
end. The grooves are ent at such a distance 
from the battens, and of sncli a depth, as to give 
the fence the desired angle. When put together 
and strained lengthwise, the groove in the end of 
each panel hooks on the batten of the adjoining 
panel, holding each in a firm and substantial man¬ 
ner. The shoe or foundation is constructed of 
plank, with a triangular piece fastened on the top 
so as to fit between the battens of the panels, in 
such a manner, as to prevent them from slipping. 
In cutting the grooves, the distance should be 3§ 
inches from the center of the groove to the bat¬ 
tens, and they should be so cut that every two 
adjoining panels should be pairs, that is, if laid 
one upon the other, the grooves should faeeeaeh 
other at one end, and he opposite at the other end 
of the panel 
Fig. 5 .—Garlick’s Portable Field Fence. 
Patented May, 1857. The patentee claims ‘‘to 
have invented and constructed a fence without 
posts set in the ground, at a cost for material 
of only forty to fifty cents per rod, and which, for 
durability, simplicity, and cheapness, is believed 
to defy all competition. It is made in sections or 
panels, in such a manner that it can he set upon 
the surface of the ground, and as well where the 
ground is rough and uneven, as where it is level, 
ft is so constructed, that there is no strain on the 
nails, and the boards are so bound and held by 
means of keys and battens, that it is impossible 
for them to be torn off. Such is the perfect 
method of fastening the corners, that it can be 
strained to the ground in so substantial a man¬ 
ner. as to obviate the danger of its being blown 
down by the wind, as has heretofore been the. case 
with portable fences. It can be readily onened 
at any panel, rendering gates unnecessary. It 
can easily be set up in circles or squares, form¬ 
ing excellent stock-pens, as well as temporary 
inclosures for sheep, etc.,and as it is taken down 
and put up with little difficulty, must meet a very 
general want, and come into general use.” 
Fig. 6 .—West’s Portable and Stationary Field 
Fence. 
Patented Feb. 15. 1859 The inventor says: 
“It has been his aim to make as cheap a fence 
as can be made, and have the same durable, 
completely locked and self-supported, without, the 
use of posts, keys, wedges, pins, or bolts ; and at 
the same time so simple that any ordinary farmer 
can make it. There is no framing, morticing 
