LIVE STOCK ON DRY FARMS 427 



The kinds of live stock to grow. Because of the 

 varying conditions, the discussion of this question is not 

 easy. These are such as relate to the character of the 

 production, the location and its surroundings and the 

 predilections of the individual. It will be manifest that 

 in some areas the production of grasses will be relatively 

 easy, in others relatively difficult. In one location pas- 

 ture land may be cheap and relatively plentiful. In other 

 instances it may not be possible to secure it outside of 

 the home. One man may succeed best in handling dairy 

 stock, and another will succeed best with sheep. All 

 these and other factors must be considered. 



Among the determining factors are the following: 

 (1) the climate; (2) the precipitation, and (3) the mar- 

 ket. The climate has an important bearing on the shelter 

 called for and also on the production. Fortunately, in' 

 much of the dry area of the west, shelter is not so 

 much needed as in corresponding latitudes in the east, 

 but some shelter is called for, and more for some 

 classes of live stock than for others, and all shelter is 

 more or less costly. The precipitation has an important 

 bearing on the production. For instance, in the upper 

 Flathead valley, 15 inches of rainfall produces more pas- 

 ture and more succulent than a similar rainfall in the 

 same latitude west of the mountains, hence dairying 

 may be more readily conducted in the former than in the 

 latter. The market demands alone may determine the 

 character of the live stock that ought to be chiefly grown, 

 and the facilities for marketing should also be carefully 

 considered. The farmer with a good local market near 

 at hand has a great advantage over the one whose market 

 is not local and distant. 



All farmers, whether married or single, must have 

 horses. That question does not admit of discussion. 

 Beyond that much will depend on the presence or ab- 

 sence of a family in the home. Where it is present, it 



