1853 . 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
243 
Cheap Fences. 
In most of the newer portions of the country, the 
old-fashioned zigzag rail fences-still prevail, and where 
timber is abundant, do not cost one-third the amount 
required for good post and board fence. Many of 
them are made wholly of rails, without any protection 
at the corners, and are consequently easily thrown down 
by cattle, colts, and the wind. A firmer fence consists 
in the addition of stakes and riders; but the stakes pro¬ 
jecting two feet beyond the fence, the whole occupies a 
strip of land at least ten feet wide. Placing the stakes 
upright at the corners, and connecting the two opposite 
ones near the top by means of a loop of annealed or 
small telegraph wire, is a great improvement, occupy¬ 
ing but little more than half the ground required for 
the former. Another modification, equally efficient and 
as saving of land, consists in placing the riders, (for 
which long poles are best,') in a straight line-on the top 
and at the center of the fence, and then placing upright 
stakes in each inner corner between the rider and the 
fence, the lower end nearly resting on the ground, and 
the other wedging closely between the top rail and ri¬ 
der. 
The following figures, shpwing a ground plan of each 
fence, will serve to make their construction plainer, and 
to exhibit their several advantages : 
Fig. 1, represents the simple zigzag fence, as seen on 
careless farmers’ grounds, without any stakes. 
Fig. 2, is the common “staked andridered” fence, 
somewhat substantial, but occupying too bread a strip 
of land. 
Fig. 3, is a better arrangement, with upright stakes 
placed at the opposite corners, and the two connected 
and held loosely to their places by a loop of annealed 
wire. 
Fig. 4, is similar to the last, but is better, inasmuch 
as the stakes are placed in the acute corners, and there¬ 
fore maintain their places better, and brace the fence 
more firmly than if placed in the obtuse angles, as in 
fig. 3. 
In fig. 5, the bracing is still more perfect, but the 
fence has not the neat appearance of fig 4. In the two 
last, the stakes need not enter the ground, but may rest 
merely upon the surface, and hence short pieces of tim¬ 
ber, broken rails, or any sticks five feet long will an¬ 
swer, provided they are connected by wire about two- 
thirds or three-fourths of the height'of the fence. These 
two modifications, then, are more econimcal in construc¬ 
tion as well as in the length of the stakes, no holes being 
required for the insertion of their lower ends. Less 
strength of wire is needed for these, as the stakes are 
more securely held in the acute angles. 
On Salting Hay and Cattle. 
In perusing the last number of the Country Gen¬ 
tleman, I noticed an article on “ Salting Hay,” which 
does not, in all respects, accord with my views and ex¬ 
perience on that subject. The writer seems to think 
that the only way to salt hay evenly and properly , is 
to have an extra hand stationed on the hay-mow , whose 
business it shall be to salt each forkful of hay as it is 
thrown from the fork. The old practice of salting each 
load after unloading it, he condemns, because salt will 
not rise up so as to benefit the hay above it, neither 
will it go down so as to benefit the hay below it, but 
will remain on top of the hay, and consequently make 
a small portion of each load very salt, while the bulk 
of the load will not derive any benefit from the salt. 
For years I made a practice of salting all of my hay 
in the maner last described, and never experienced the 
least trouble in not having all of it eveiffy and proper¬ 
ly salted. I take pains in mowing away the hay, to 
spread it evenly over the mow—then apply the salt, 
say about four or six quarts per ton, which settles down 
into the hay, thus salting all alike. 
For two years past I have adopted another method 
of salting my stock, which I think is a much better 
way than putting it on the hay—only taking care to 
have it put into the mow in good order. When the fod¬ 
dering season commences, I place a trough in the yard 
where the cattle are kept, and in it keep a good supply 
of salt. This gives each cow a chance to get just what 
salt they require, which it is very difficult for them to 
do when the salt is applied to the hay. 
I suppose there are some who have been in the habit 
of salting their hay, that will be rather incredulous, 
and not be willing to risk a trial. To such I would say 
that I have tried it with a stock of fifty cows, some sheep, 
and young cattle, for two winters past, and I must say 
they have done better than they used to on salted hay. 
The usual method of salting cattle once a week through 
the summer, is not as beneficial to the thrift of animals 
as supplying them with salt so that they may have it at 
all times; yet if this will answer in summer, when the 
feed is green and succulent, why would it not answer as 
well, and even better in winter, when they require much 
less salt. By feeding each separate, they are not 
obliged to over-eat of one to satisfy the appetite for an¬ 
other. A Subscriber. West Pawlet , Vt. 
Transmutation of Plants. 
A very able article on this subject, in the Pennsyl¬ 
vania Farm Journal , evidently from the pen of that 
eminent naturalist, Dr. Darlington, who is well vers¬ 
ed in the history of the various opinions which have pre¬ 
vailed during the last five centuries on this subject, 
gives the following pithy summary of these opinions : 
The worthy disciples of this doctrine, in the “ good 
old times,” not only believed (with their followers of the 
present day,) that wheat would turn to cheat, or chess, 
but they contended that it would often turn a whole se¬ 
ries of somersets ; going off first into rye, then from rye 
into barley; from barley into lolium or darnel; from 
lolium into bromus or cheat; and from cheat into oats. 
They even thought these vagaries could be inverted by 
by a good soil; and that, with skillful management, 
the erratic plant might be made to retrograde towards 
its pristine state, at least as far back as rye ! 
