22 RANCHING IN THE CANADIAN WEST 



do not require an artificial shelter, and will be dealt 

 with in the chapter devoted to their care and 

 management. 



After you have selected the position you desire 

 the shed to occupy, measure out the ground in a 

 square the size you require, and dig a post-hole 

 2| to 3 feet deep at each of the four corners. This 

 is done with a spade used specially for the purpose, 

 the post-hole being square in shape, each side the 

 exact size of the breadth of the spade, cut sheer and 

 perpendicularly. Having previously taken your axe 

 to the bush, and cut the requisite number of trees of 

 a suitable size to use as supports for the roof, 

 and lopped and trimmed them to the length of 

 11 feet, select the four stoutest ones (these should 

 not be less than 6 inches in diameter), and place them 

 in the post-holes at each corner, butt end down- 

 wards. While someone holds the post in an erect 

 position you should first throw some stones in and 

 well ram them down round it at the base, then shovel 

 in some of the earth taken out in the process of 

 digging the holes, pounding that down firmly also. 

 More stones and more earth are added alternately 

 and well beaten down, until the hole is filled up level 

 with the ground round it. If these directions are 

 closely followed you should now have the four 

 corner supports of your shed in position, with their 



