CHAPTER VI.

FENCES OF BARB WIRE AND BOARDS.

COMBINED WIRE AND BOARD FENCE.

A very cheap fence is made of two boards below and three strands of barb wire. To make the fence pig-proof without the boards, five strands of wire, three inches apart, would be required at the bottom. Two common fencing boards will occupy the same space, when placed three inches apart, and cost less. But for the upper part of the fence, wire is much cheaper than boards. The most considerable item in this greater economy is the saving of posts. The wire requires a post every sixteen feet; hence half the posts are saved. A stout stake, driven midway between the posts, holds the center of the boards in place. These stakes need extend only eighteen inches above ground. Posts that have rotted off in the ground will be long enough for these stakes. Some say that the posts can be set thirty feet apart, but sixteen feet is better. The posts should be at least thirty inches in the ground and well tamped. It is easy to stretch the wire. Its durability depends upon the quality of the wire and posts, and the proper setting of them. Nail on the two boards, three inches apart; the first strand is six inches above the top board, the second strand is twelve inches above the first, and the third sixteen inches above the second. When banked up, as hereafter described, this fence will turn all farm stock. An important point is the bracing of the end-posts. If this be neglected or improperly done, the fence will be a failure. Figure 97 shows how the end-post should be braced. It should be a large post and set at least three feet in the ground. The short post which holds the lower end of the brace, should also be well set. Wrap the wire around the end-post several times, and drive staples to hold it on all sides. If the line of fence is more than forty rods long, at least two posts at each end should be braced. After the posts are set, and before attaching the boards or wire, plow a deep furrow along each side, throwing the earth inward. This makes a bank along the line, allowing the fence to be several inches higher; and the furrow drains the water away from the posts, and also restrains an animal that may be tempted to jump the fence. A section of the completed fence is shown in figure 98. Do not hang pieces of tin, etc., upon the top strands of wire, as often recommended, that the animals may see the fence, and be able to avoid it, because it is never necessary.

A modification of this combined fence is shown in figure 99. It is made of one rail along the top, and three wires below. After setting the posts plow a furrow two feet from the posts on each side, throwing the furrow slice towards the fence, and forming up the ridge neatly with a spade; then stretch the three wires, and nail a two by four scantling edgewise. To prevent an unpleasant sagging of the rails, the posts should be eight feet apart, and the rails sixteen feet long. For common fencing, good straight poles will answer well.

A BRACKETED FENCE.

The features shown in figure 100 are: first, in having two six-inch boards at the bottom. Second, in placing the wires very close together. It being necessary to have barbs only on one side of each space between the wires, plain galvanised wire may be used for every alternate strand, thus greatly lessening the expense. Third, by the use of strips and short stakes, the posts may be placed sixteen feet apart, and the fence remain as perfect as if there were posts every eight feet. Fourth, to make the fence man-proof, make use of a bracket of three-eighth-inch iron, or of one by two-inch wooden strips. The form of the brackets is shown in figures 101, 102 and 103. A barb-wire is attached to the short arm of the brackets, which are fastened to the posts in such a manner as to stretch two wires on the same horizontal plane, and fifteen inches apart. The material required for each panel of the fence shown in figure 100, are: Two posts, three barb-wires, two plain wires of No. 12 galvanized iron, two six-inch boards, sixteen feet long, three stakes about three feet long, and sharpened at one end, four strips, four feet long and one and one-half inch square. To build the fence: Lay off the ground by setting small pegs eight feet apart, then dig the holes, and set the posts at every fourth peg. Drive the sharpened stakes into the ground at the three pegs between the posts, so that the top of the stakes will be nineteen inches above the ground. Nail the boards on the first stake near the ground, and the second one three inches above the first. Then mark off the place for each wire on the first post, fasten the bottom wire, and put up as far as the first stretching post; then add the other wires, using first a barb-wire, and then a smooth one. The wires should be fastened to the posts with long staples. The strips are to go in the middle of the eight foot spaces; they should not quite touch the ground; fasten them to the boards with nails and to the wire with short staples. These strips can be made of poles or saplings, and the stakes of short or crooked pieces from the posts. To attach the man-proof part: If the brackets are of wood, nail them to the posts, sawing off the horizontal arm to fifteen inches from the top wire, as in figure 103; stretch the wire and fasten to the end. If the brackets are of iron, figure 102, spike the horizontal arm to the top of the post, then put up the barb-wire loose under the oblique arm, and stretch it. Then spike the foot of the oblique arm to the post, and slip the wire into the angle, and close the bracket by closing the arms on the wire. Figure 102 shows the method of attaching the iron bracket to the post.

DOG-PROOF FENCES.

Figure 104 shows a sheep-yard fence, built of wire and boards, as a safeguard against vicious dogs. It consists of ordinary posts, and three lengths of boards, with an equal number of barb-wires for the upper portion, and a single strand placed near the ground. The sheep are in no danger of injuring themselves with such a fence, and it is an effective barrier to blood-thirsty dogs.

Figure 105 shows a cheaper fence for the same purpose. It has one strand of barb wire below the boards, which prevents attempts of dogs to dig under it. For fencing sheep against dogs, the “thick-set” barb wire is the most effective of any.