24 RANCHING IN THE CANADIAN WEST 



After any irregularities in the posts have been 

 levelled off to a uniform height with a saw, you must 

 now select forty smaller trees, or limbs of larger 

 ones, which have been properly trimmed of twigs 

 (dry wood is no use), 8 feet 6 inches long, with a 

 diameter of not less than 4 inches at the thicker 

 end; these are called "stringers," and must be 

 notched 3 inches at each end so as to rest flat on 

 the tops of the posts from one to the other in every 

 direction, and are spiked in that position. Across 

 these " stringers " poles must now be laid, 9 to 10 

 feet long and about 3 inches in diameter, 18 inches 

 apart from, and parallel to, one another, covering 

 the whole area of the shed, but they need not be 

 secured in any way. On these, again, branches of 

 quite small trees, scrub (known as " brush " in 

 Canada), or any form of low willow-shrub, cut with 

 the leaves on them, which can be found on most 

 creeks, are placed evenly and fairly thickly over the 

 whole roof, and well trodden down with the feet. 

 Hay is then thrown up and spread over the brush to 

 the depth of about a foot, and your roof is complete, 

 after a little trampling to insure its settling down. 



The sides have now to be put on before the shed 

 is ready for use. At about 1 foot above the ground 

 and 1 foot from the roof horizontal notches, 2 inches 

 deep and 4 inches in width, must be cut with saw 



