SHELTER. 301 



be. Of course two of the great destructive 

 agents in nature's economy are universally to 

 be removed the periodical scarcity of proper 

 food and the assaults of natural foes. To these 

 we may add the protection of the animal from 

 the more violent extremes of the weather. A 

 large proportion of animals in a state of nature 

 fall victims to these causes. To secure for 

 them immunity from them is consequently to 

 give them greatly-increased opportunities for 

 growth, long life, and reproduction, provided 

 always that in removing one baleful influence 

 we do not set another in motion. To avoid this 

 it is necessary to leave the animal as far as may 

 be free from unnatural interference after pro- 

 tecting it from active foes and supplying with 

 a liberal hand its needs. This preserves the 

 robust constitution, the active temperament, 

 the highest bodily vigor all qualities of the 

 first importance among breeding animals. 



Taking this broad proposition and applying 

 it to questions of shelter we arrive at a general 

 law which may be briefly summed up as follows: 

 "stable the breeding stock as little as is consist- 

 ent with health." How much this will be will 

 depend on the climate of various places. As 

 there is nothing more miserable to look upon 

 than a herd of cattle shivering in a wet, cold 

 storm in midwinter, with tails to the blast and 

 heads bent woefully to the ground, so there is 



