The BuLhKL'iN. 23 



times a day, but considering the cost of labor, twice per day is jiniba- 

 bly as often as will bo found profitable in most cases. 



WATER. 



The importance of an abundant supply of pure water cannot be 

 overestimated. The supply of water should be ample, clean and not 

 too far from shelter or feeding-place. In short, the steer should at 

 all times have free and easy access to all the water he is inclined to 

 drink. 



SALT. 



While salt is certainly of benefit to the fattening, steer, it is a fact 

 that its injudicious use may do serious harm. If fed at irregular 

 intervals and the animals allowed to take too much, derangement of 

 digestion and scouring may result. 



Probably the best plan is to give the cattle a little salt in their feed 

 each day, until their craving for it h^s been satisfied, and then put 

 ordinary barrel salt before them, so that they may have liberty to eat 

 what they want at all times. But unless care is taken to gradually 

 satisfy the appetites of the steers for salt, before it is put before them 

 in quantity, it is probably best to feed a little salt with each feed, or 

 at least once a day with the feed. Judging from the quantity con- 

 sumed by cattle that have free access to it, the amount of salt given 

 in the feed need not exceed one dram per day. 



FEED-LOTS AND SHELTERS. 



The custom of feeding in the open, quite common in some parts 

 of the South, has for its opposite the old method of stall-feeding. 

 The former method has at least two advantages — cheapness, and that 

 the manure may be deposited where needed without great waste or 

 cost for handling. On the other hand, much feed is wasted and the 

 exposure to wind and rain above and mud beneath frequently detract 

 materially from the gains that would otherwise be made. The modern 

 feeder, recogTiizing the disadvantages of both methods, the one with 

 its exposure and waste of feed and the other with its too close con- 

 finement and increased expense of labor, j^rofits thereby and feeds in 

 rather large lots with cheap sheds for the protection of the cattle and 

 feed boxes. 



For the best results it seems certain that shelter must be furnished 

 sufficient to afford full protection from wind and dampness, but it 

 is doubtful if in this climate much attention need be given to pro- 

 viding warm stables. In the southern and eastern parts of the State 

 an open shed, closed only on the north side and with a roof to shed 

 the rain, is probably all that is necessary; but in the western and 



