RANGE STOCK MANAGEMENT 177 



dirt, makes a very good lick and the salt cements to- 

 gether into a solid block. 



Many stockmen like to salt their cattle in their own 

 corrals, so as to teach them where home is. Others like 

 to feed it to them a little at a time on the ranges, keep- 

 ing them just salt-hungry enough to make them eager for 

 it. Thus they learn to come up for salt every time they 

 hear the call or even the rattle of the wagon containing 

 the salt. 



Being under herd, sheep can be salted often and the 

 fine salt is better for them, as to salt 2,000 sheep en- 

 tirely with rock salt would require too many separate 

 pieces. 



Salt-Hungry Cattle Raid Camps. In the mountains 

 where range cattle are plentiful and generally salt- 

 hungry, one must be careful about leaving a camp 

 open, as they will smell the salt and fairly eat the 

 camp up in their search for it. Salt, sugar, flour, dish- 

 rags and everything else chewable will find its way 

 down their throats, and what they don't eat they will 

 spoil. If there is anything more discouraging to the 

 camper or absolutely hopeless in the completeness of 

 the ruin than a camp raided by a bunch of salt-hungry 

 cows I have never seen it. I once opened the door of 

 a cabin just as a cow went out of a single sash win- 

 dow at the other end. She had probably found the door 

 open and stepped in to look for salt. A gust of wind 

 closed it, or possibly she pushed it shut herself in rum- 

 maging about the little room, and was a prisoner. The 

 interior of that cabin was a wreck. 



Another time a bull hunting for salt worked through 

 the flap into a tent which had a small opening at the far 

 end. The boy who occupied the tent started to enter the 



