EXPENSIVE FENCE

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 258, 29 July 1939, Page 4 (Supplement)

EXPENSIVE FENCE

Where Economy Should Be Considered Near Feilding I have seen one of the most solid and expensive fences I ever set eyes upon. Beautifully erected, all of best materials, it should last many long years. But the wires touch the concrete of the posts, and that is considered a serious fault. The galvanizing may wear through and then the steel of the wire may rust away. Instead of a 20 to 25 years’ life, there may be only eight or 10 years. The fence is of nine wires, seven plain and two barbed, erected on five posts a chain, .with 30 battens to stiffen it. Posts of concrete, battens of split heart of rimu. The top wire, 45 inches front ground level. Barbs were at the top and the second wire down. At What Cost? The cost of this fence is estimated as follows, all prices being for materials landed at the farm: — Posts, 15/- a chain; 5 at 3/each. Battens, 8/6; 30 nt 27/- a 100. Strainers and gates, 2/-- Allowing one strainer to 10 chains and the gate, to 20 chains, at 10/- and £1 respectively. Wire, 10/- a chain. This is based on 324 cwt. of wire and staples a mile. Erection, 9/- a chain, including putting out of materials. Total cost, 44/6 a chain, or £l7B a mile. , . . Erected on three posts a chain. . 6/would have been saved. Battens reduced to 15 would have saved another 4/3. The fence, still with nine wires, would have cost 10/3 a chain less, a saving of £4l a mile. In my opinion, based upon beef cattle experience included, the cheaper fence would have been every bit as good. Relatively, wire is one of. the cheapest items in fencing cost. An extra plain wire means only 1/- a chain. But an extra post means 3/- a chain. No better ,fence can be asked for than one oh three posts, with eight wires, and really well erected. Erection is of great importance, and so, too, is maintenance. Keep a fence in order and the task is light. In erection a common fault has been observed. This is the setting of posts aga’nst the solid earth—nnd the same with strainers. The earth filled in is rammed on the other three sides. The result is three- solid sides, but one soft one. Natural earth is not solid, it is soft. Proof of this is readily seen when the earth put back into a post or strainer hole rams down into that space, through it has been greatly reduced by the bulk of the post put in. The 'best of materials are not to be regarded as any . extravagance. Good quality wire, solid strainers, and heart battens, all pay well by. their lasting life.