In payment of rent and lumber the association has given its note of $356.22 on lumber and $35 on rent. The treasurer holds a balance of $50.75. With the experience of 1885, the association hopes in 1886 to make a showing equal to any similar organization in the State of Michigan. JAMES COGLEY, President. JAS. KENNEDY, Treasurer. MANISTEE COUNTY AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. This society held its ninth Annual Fair at Bear Lake on the 23d, 24th and 25th days September, 1885. The weather was very favorable. Total number of entries, 692 against 907 in 1884. Marked improvement was manifested in the display of cattle and horses and the display of fruits was very good. The society owns twenty acres of land beautifully situated on the south side of Bear Lake. Twelve acres are enclosed for fair grounds and the balance is in woods. Value, $1,000. Statement showing the receipts and disbursements of the Union Agricultural Soociety of the St. Joseph valley for the year ending December 20, 1885: Indebtedness 268 06 Labor, supplies in dining hall, police and amount on hand... 898 46 $2,253 73 We, the President, Secretary and Treasurer of the Union Agricultural Society, located at Litchfield, Michigan, do hereby certify that the above is a correct statement of the receipts and disbursements of said society for the year ending December 20, 1885. R. W. FREEMAN, President. INGHAM COUNTY FARMERS' CLUB. HEDGE FENCE OR WIRE? BY L. W. BAKER, OF DELHI. Mr. President and Members of the Ingham County Farmers' Club : The time is already here when we cannot afford to use up our first-class timber in so clumsy a way as to split it into rails. In one of our meetings last year a member stated that he liked a good rail fence and that laid with a good worm. I think he only voiced the opinion of all. But that is only speculating on an impossibility, as we cannot have such a fence, at the most, but a few years longer, as year after year we see our timber giving way under the greatly increased demand. In view of that fact we begin. to look around for the next best material and construction for the future fence. Farmers may expect to be imposed upon with many new devices and patent rights for years to come. Whenever the farmers feel the need of anything there are hordes of those fellows that want to get two dollars out of one and that without work, ready to sell them some worthless article; and many times when they think they are getting just the thing needed, they later find that it is only one more addition to the list of swindles. That whole class are constantly viewing the situation of the farmer and where they see his greatest need there is their strongest hold. As we feel the need of some improved mode of fencing at the present time, I would say, be on the alert and investi gate fully and purchase very cautiously any new device whereby they claim they are going to add so much to your wealth and convenience. Let us look for a moment at the Osage Orange hedge fence as grown by the Dayton Hedge Fence Company of Ohio. Admitting that the hedge fence is desirable, yet untested in this climate to any great extent, would it not be far better for a few to buy and the rest wait the result? As they claim it only takes four years to grow a full fence the most of us could afford to wait that length of time for the sake of having it fully tested. Should it prove a failure what a saving it would be! Better wait than act in haste and then repent at leisure. We have the testimony of some good men setting forth its merits and demerits, but none so closely coincides with my views as does that of Professor Beal. Let us see what he says in regard to it: "In my opinion there are two sides to this question and they should both be well considered before any one in Central Michigan attempts Osage Orange for hedge. This is a southern plant, and although considerably used in certain parts of Michigan, in many places it kills out badly. This is the case at the Agricultural College and in North Lansing. "A well grown and well kept hedge presents a fine appearance, but most of our farmers have never tried it, and even after it is well grown by a company, would not likely keep it in good order. The roots of the plants, especially after some years, draw considerable from the crops along near the hedge. True, they break the wind and stop the wind in winter and sometimes aid the crops in this way. The farmer should make up his mind quite deliberately and not be too easily persuaded to try a new thing, especially by interested parties, no matter if they do all they promise. "Read the following from The Industrialist by Prof. E. M. Shelton, of Kansas agricultural college : 'A gentleman writes us asking that we aid him in disposing of the considerable stock of Osage Orange hedge plants which he is carrying. The request takes us a good deal by surprise; for, in truth, we have not seen half a mile of new hedge in the last five years. The barb-wire fence has made obsolete the thorny, expensive, ground-consuming, vermin-harboring hedge. About the only man who has anything to say against the barb-wire fence is the unfortunate on horseback, who "brings up" suddenly on a dark night against the sturdy wire.' "Similar views are entertained by Dr. S. Å. Knapp, Professor of Agriculture in Iowa Agricultural College. I have talked with both these men and with many others in various parts of our country, especially where timber is scarce or high in price, and the opinion is fast gaining ground that the best farm fence is made of a combination of wire and boards supported by posts, and the wire or band is that with very short tapering barbs. The writer has no interest in this matter, one way or the other, only to serve the interests of the farmers. He gives it as his opinion that in ten years or less, nine out of ten men in this vicinity, who try osage orange grown on any plan will wish they had their money back. I should add that I have been familiar with this patent mode of making hedge for some years." You see that Professor Beal says that there are two sides to the question. Now, in your opinion, which side would he be likely to take up, for or against the farmers? He being at the head of one department of our State Agricultural College, and that whole institution as a child looking to the people of the State of Michigan for support, and whenever it fails to faithfully serve the people they may withhold their support. I would say in view of the relation he sustains to the people we should weigh well his words of caution. He says it is a southern plant and kills out badly in some places, even at the college farm. The professor also presupposes that we would not be likely to keep it in good order. Now this would be for each one to determine for himself. We know our own traits, and whether we have enough pride and energy to properly attend to cultivating and trimming twice a year, or whether our feeble ambition and the pressure of other business would be likely to prevent us from taking a scythe or hook and properly trimming and shaping up our hedge fence first in June and again in September, two as busy months as we have in the year. Answer these questions, and then,-shall we invest? We often see those who neglect the proper trimming of their orchards, which can and ought to be done in the most leisure months, and on which depends the future value. Would we be more mindful of the hedge? The close canvassing of the State at the present time looks in itself suspicious while we have timber in abundance compared with many other States. Notice what Professor Shelton of the Kansas Agricultural College says: "He has not seen a mile of new hedge set in the last five years." Kansas is a State destitude of timber compared with Michigan, and still the professor has not seen a mile of new hedge set in five years. Does that signify anything? Does that give any reason for their thus striking Michigan so early? Michigan is about such a State for hedge fence as Kansas would be for saw-mills. Still they are here in preference to western States. Doesn't this speak volumes of caution to us? Let us see what the professor calls it. "The thorny, expensive, groundconsuming, vermin-harboring hedge." The thorns it must certainly have or it would not amount to a fence. Next, the first cost. It costs $1.00 per rod besides preparing and culti vating the bed and keeping free from weeds for the first few years. This expense depends on the degree of thoroughness with which it is done. The proper trimming, shaping and resetting, if by chance or otherwise the mice should girdle or frost kill, would be the expense of keeping it up. Perhaps I should speak of the ground consumed, which in the aggregate is no small item. From all the testimony before us I feel safe in the assertion that it virtually occupies as much as or more than the common rail fence. That contrasted with the space occupied by post and board or wire fence is worthy of our attention. Now, if we have got a full fence that will withstand the climate and baffle all others enemies, we have got something that is worth seeking, a fence for all time, dependent only on our proper care and attention. I would be glad to draw a true picture of a post and wire fence that I can conceive of. That would be a full looped or woven fence. Why not unroll a coil of fencing, the width being the height, all ready to spike to posts? The posts being set, two men could build more in a day than they could trim of the hedge. Some may say you have got posts that will rot; I would say give yourself no uneasiness, the iron posts will soon be in use. Better use well the privileges and blessings of to-day that more may be added. You may ask, why do you speak of such a fence. Because I believe it to be the coming fence. If such a fence could be manufactured at a reasonable cost, would it not possess more redeeming qualities than any other we have before us to-day? When we look at the improvements in other directions is it unreasonable to suppose that our most sanguine hopes and expectations may be exceeded in this direction? This fence should be of proper height and tight enough to turn all kinds of stock. The first manufacturer that offers such a fence at a reasonable price will step rapidly to the front. I wrote to Messrs. Sedgwick Bros. of Richmond, Ind., manufacturers of wire goods and received sample and price list of a fence that very nearly agrees with my preconceived ideas. It is a wire netting, 4x7 inch mesh and 52 inches wide, that being the height of the fence, which can be bought for $1.05 per rod for 100 rod lots, and less for larger quantities. With our present price for posts cost compares favorably with the cost of any other fence, cheaper than the hedge, and when we pay our money we have a full fence. On the other hand we have to support our present amount of fence for four years and pay for it two and a half years before we get any returns in usefulness from a hedge fence. Now we have two leading fences of the day before us, or the two that are being introduced, for us to pass judgment on or choose between. The one a full wire, sufficiently tight to turn all kinds of stock, one that will need little or no care for years, one that is ornamental as well as useful and that without continual care. With my means of judging I should much prefer the wire. How could we live up to the old saying, "When a task is once begun, never leave it till its done," with the hedge? |