both ways.

[Illustration: Fence with Sheet Tin Four Feet from Ground.]

The cost of fencing an acre, varies, of course. An acre contains 160
square rods or about 12-1/2 rods each side--equal to 50 rods of fence.
If the wire costs $1.50 a rod, and posts 40 cents each, the cost of
material required to enclose an acre will be $95.00. We are figuring on
two posts to the rod. Add to this staples, gates, etc., and the cost
will perhaps be about $100.00. Of course a much cheaper wire could be
used, poorer posts, etc., so that the cost would be greatly reduced--but
it generally pays to do a thing well.

To enclose a certain amount of ground with the smallest number of rods
of fencing possible, the plat or ground to be enclosed should be in a
square. The additional cost to enclose an acre, say 20 rods long by 8
wide, would be material for 6 additional rods. To fully illustrate, an
acre fenced in a square would be 12-1/2 rods on each side, or 50 rods;
if 20 rods long, the two sides would be 40 rods, and the ends 8 each or
16 rods, making a total of 56 rods.

While the cost of enclosing an oblong piece of ground would be a few
dollars more than if square, this should not stand in the way if the
oblong piece of ground would make a better home for your fur-bearing
animals.

The persons who expect to make "fur-farming" a business, can begin in a
small way and same need not interfere with other work to a great extent.
Year after year, as they learn more of the business, they can enlarge,
etc. Trappers, hunters and others who from experience know much of the
animals, will no doubt be the most successful from the start. One party
writes to know if skunk, fox, opossum and mink can be successfully
raised in the same enclosure. If he means allowed to run together, they
can not. If he means the same outside enclosure, with separate
apartments for the various animals, there is no reason why such a place
should not be successful as there will be advantages in such a plan.

First, an enclosure of four acres can be built much cheaper than four
separate enclosures of one acre each. To enclose four one-acre
enclosures would require 200 rods of fencing--50 rods for each. The four
acres in one enclosure would be only about half or 100 rods. A square 25
rods on each side would be almost 4 acres. Should the fur-farmer wish to
subdivide this into four tracts, a fence thru the middle each way would
take 25 rods additional or 50 rods for both wa