V
Garden
VOL.
^Hmir rmicAKV
IND.IANAPO.LIS
31, 1908.
NO. 44
_xpiwXUnc6 gsfttmrtmeut
PRESERVING   FENCE POSTS.
Coal Tar  is Effective.
1st Premium.—The editor asks for methods of prolonging the durability of the
wooden fence post. I think at the very
low price of cement it is far the cheapest.
Of   course  with  cement   a osts  there  are
hot, by dipping post from 4 to 6 inches
deeper than when put in ground, as iust
at the top of ground is where the trouble
usually is. But in all cases, if we expect
good results, use nothing but thoroughly
seasoned posts.
The end or corner posts are the life of
any fence I advise putting them in the
ground 3 to 3% feet, digging the hole from
10 to 12 inches larger on all sides than post.
Fill with cement, 5 parts sand to one of
and something else will have to take its
place. G. B
Use Seasoned Timber.
2d Premium.—Cut green timber (oak is
generally used) in August. The timber
has less sap in it at that time of year and
the wood will be found very dry for green
timber. Split the posts and peel all the
hark   off   at   once. Stack   them   in   a
square.        Lay some poles under them to
drier around the post. Dampness and
air will rot the timber. We should
try to keep out dampness and air as much
as we can. We know that timber deep
under earth or water will never rot, and
wc should profit by what nature teaches.
As we must have dampness around a post,
we should exclude all the air we can.
Paint will come off, but lime or cement
will stay.
I believe if a young mau will place in
Wm-WgWlim—'l~Sr.
Five of the Great Prize Winning Percheron and Belgian Draft Stallions, as seen on The Lafayette Stock Farm, Lafayette, Indiana       3.   Crouch   &   Son,   Proprietors.
some disadvantages, and the old wooden
post will give a little better satisfaction
in some ways while it lasts, but right here
is where the trouble is. On account of
the extremely high price for cedar posts
(this is the only wooden post worth putting
in a fence), and the short time they last,
and ihe great number it is necessarv ti
use if we fence our farms as they should
be to handle all kinds of stock and this is
the only way a farm will pay and at the
same time not depreciate in value, it is
of great importance that we know how to
prolong the durability of the wooden fence
post.
Some fnrmers say the best treatment '»
tj burn the post until charred, but this has
its disadvantages. Some posts or parts of
pests will burn entirely too much while oth-
will not char at all. The best way 1
know is to give them an application of
coal tar. This is quite inexpensive, as
it can be bought for 10c per gallon at
some places.        It should be applied quire
cement. We can also use some small
stone with the cement if we choose. Go
a little above the level of ground with cement, being careful to get cement nice
and smooth around post Being a little
above the level of ground will exclude all
the water. The post being in cement
will last a great deal longer than if placed
in the ground without it. Also it will be
solid! nnd will require no brace unless there
is a very long string of fence. The line
posts cau also be placed in cement, not
digging the hole as large, say 2 or 3 inches
larger than post on all sides. Cement does
not need to go clear to bottom of posts for
line posts, but should be rounded up a little
above top of ground to keep water out.
Changing from wet to dry and from dry to
wet is what rots fence posts. Do not
be tempted to use green posts.
I think the cheapest and best post in the
end is a cement post and I think we are
near that time. Timber is getting scarcer,
more inferior and higher in price each year,
keep them off the ground, then place a
layer of posts; the next layer goes crosswise of that, and so on until all are stacked. When finished pile a few more posts
on one side than the other, so that one side
will be high and the other low, and cover
with old scrap lumber so it will not leak.
Let thein season 12 months or longer; then
they will be ready for use with all the oil
of the timber preserved.
The first place a post begins to decay is
just below the top of the ground. We
must remedy that. Dig the hole large
enough so the post will drop in easily. Fill
dirt around the post and tamp within a
foot of the top of ground. Then finish
filling the hole with gravel or sand and
Portland cement, about one-seventh cement. Then pour a little water around
it, and the post will soon be solid. If
cement is not convenient, I would advise
the use of lime. Make the mixture one-
half lime. The lime will preserve the
tinibet and will keep the    ground    much
the grouud a good, seasoned locust post, in
the manner I have described, he may live
to be old but he will never live to see that
post rotten at the top of the ground.
S. T.
No. 660, Nov. 7—Should the farmer
sell off his breeding stock because of a
short corn crop?
No. 661, Nov. 14.—Show the value of
proper shelter for live stock during winter.
Five political parties in California have
incorporated their endorsement of woman suffrage in their respective plat-
foims; viz., Union Labor, Socialist, Independence League, Prohibition and Democratic. The State Republican Convention listened to a request for similar
endorsement, declined to give it, but
extended a vote of thanks to the women
presenting the question, which the latter as promptly declined to receive.