CEMENT AND CONCRETE FENCE POSTS* 
H. M. BAINERf 
H. B. BONEBRIGHT % 
PART I. 
INTRODUCTION. 
The average life of the best wood fence posts that have not 
been specially treated is from 12 to 15 years; while the poorer ones 
often last but from 3 to 5 years. Good wood posts are gradually 
becoming harder to secure and the cost of them is increasing each 
year. The cost of maintaining the farm fences and especially the 
posts is a great one when we consider that they must be replaced 
so often. 
The cheaper and poorer grades of woods used for fence posts 
can be treated and thus made to outlast the best grades of untreated 
timber. The cost of the untreated post will vary from 10 to 15 
cents each and the cost of treating them according to experimental 
data at hand will add from 10 to 15 cents each to the first cost, thus 
maki the total cost of the treated post from 20 to 30 cents. 
With the present enormous nnd increasing demands made upon 
our forests for all classes of lumber, shingles, pulp wood, cooperage 
stock, mine timbers, lath, wood for distillation, poles and fence 
posts, there is no wonder that the prices for these products are be¬ 
coming greater. The cost of the average fence post is almost dou¬ 
ble what it was a quarter of a century ago and in another quarter of 
a century, there is no doubt but that its cost will be double that of the 
present. 
Iron fence posts cannot be generally used as substitutes, as their 
cost is prohibitive. Stone posts are used in some localities, but they 
do not give general satisfaction and they cannot be profitably 
shipped. 
Cement and concrete posts are just beginning to be manufac¬ 
tured and used as substitutes, and there is no doubt but that they 
will become more generally used. It is true that they may be con¬ 
sidered as expensive, but they are long-lived, present a good appear¬ 
ance, and can be made by the farmer, providing the necessary ma¬ 
terials are available. It is the purpose of this bulletin to show how 
to make the posts and also to determine the best forms, mixtures, 
reinforcements, wire fasteners, cost, and general practicability. 
MATERIALS TO USE. 
Cement .—There are but two general classes of cements which 
could be used for post construction—Natural and Portland. The 
♦Copy received June 26 th. Expense borne by State appropriation, 1907 . 
fProfessor in Farm Mechanics. 
^Assistant in Farm Mechanics. 
