FENCING

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXIII, Issue 82, 18 March 1933, Page 11

FENCING

ERECTION AND MAINTENANCE TEMPORARY AND PERMANENT TYPES KEEPING DOWN FARMING COSTS A Rood fence makes a great deal of difference to the appearance of a farm. No farm, however well it may be managed, looks its best if the fences are in poor order. Now that the season is slacking off, farmers are overhauling and putting up new fences, so the question of the most satisfactory fence is worth considering. Fencing is an important part of the farmer’s work. Like all other blanches of farm work there is a right and a wrong way of construction. Made of good materials and properly constructed, a good fence should last for many years. As fencing is a fairly costly item, the need for proper maintenance and solid construction must be recognised.

In erecting a new fence, the farmer has to consider what type he is going to build, the number of wires to be used and the purpose for which it is designed. Where dairy stock are being run, the number of wires needed will of course, be less, but where mixed fanning is the rule, the number of wires will have to be more.

The regulation fence, as recommended by the Government, but not generally used, is an eight wire fence, five posts to the chain, and four battens between the posts. Counting from the top. an eight wire rcnce usually has the first and third wires barbed, the remainder being plain wires. A fairly common sheep and cattle fence, which is not very satisfactory for sheep, is the five-wire fence. The top wire is plain, second barbed, third plain, fourth barbed and fifth plain The height of the fence is four feet from the ground to the top of the post, the top wire being two inches from the top of the post. The best feature of this fence is its relative cheapness. It is only satisfactory for cattle really, as young sheep nd lambs have little difficulty in getting out.

MIXED FARMING FENCE. The six and seven /wire fences are the best for mixed farming, where a reasonable amount of money is to be spent. In the seven-wire fence, the first and third wires are barbed, the remainder being plain. The six-wire fence has only one barb wire, the second, where greater security is required, a barb wire at the foot will keep the lambs in. For temporary fences the netting fence is hard to beat. Quickly, erected, and just as quickly taken down, it is excellent for sheep, but with cattle, a weighty beast can soon damage it, un..■s.s the netting is backed with wires. Netting is obtainable in two sixes, 30 and 42 inches high, and the 30-inch netting is available with seven or eight wires, the 42-inch with nine and ten wires.

Where the 36-inch netting is used, the provision of a top barb wire will uake a very satisfactory fence. Oriinary netting in 50 yards coils is iot very satisfactory, and if anything s dearer to use than proper sheep netting, A solid strainer is half the battle n making a good lasting fence. Ibout Bft. 6ins. long and Bins square ire the usual dimensions. Each trainer post should be footed, the not being a few inches from the botom of the post, and wired in the direction of the strain. Collars are freiuently put on the strainers at the irt'ace of the ground, DISTANO INTO GROUND. Strainer posts should be sunk 4ft. ms. into the ground, and each strainr should be stay ed not more than halfay up from the surface of the ground, ailway lines cut to suitable lengths uike very good stays. The stays preeiit the strainer post from coming over when the wires of the fence are strained up. For the best results, no strain should be longer than ten chains, and if possible should be less The fencing posts should be about 6ft flinches long, and sunk two feet into the ground. The posts are naturally put into the ground at right angles to the ground. \\ hen the fence has been erected, and strained and stapled up, the farmer should endeavour to keep the fence in as good order as possible. It is sound practice to treat fencing posts and strainer with creasote to prevent rotting in the ground. Some farmers put an iron cover over the tops of their strainer and fencing posts to stop any rotting due to rain and weather. Painting the tops of posts and battens with creosote or pitch is also worth the trouble. Every now and again the fence should be inspected, and if necessary, any repairs such as stapleing, straining, replacing of posts and battens can be done. With careful treatment, a fence can be kept in good order much longer than if neglected, and the saving in fencing costs will well repay the extra labour and time involved.

DAIRY PRODUCE MARKET Daluety and Co.. Ltd., have received the following advices concerning the I London dairv produce market:— I Hutter: Market firm but less active. 1 Quotations- Danish 96/- to 98/- ner cwt: New Zealand, finest 77.- to 80/-; Australian, finest unsalted 76/- to 77/-, finest salted 76’- to 77/-, G.A.Q. 72/to 74/-. Cheese- .Market firm Quotations: | New Zealand, white 44/. per cwt, , coloured 51/-: Canadian, 6O- to I 68,.V coloured 60/- to 68/-.