342 THE MANAGEMENT AND FEEDING OF CATTLE 



the land. When locating in the uncleared forest or 

 grove country, it is always possible to secure the pro- 

 tection of trees furnished by nature, by simply refrain- 

 ing from cutting them down around the site chosen for 

 the steading. It may be possible, in some instances, to 

 secure natural protection from a bluff with or without 

 trees, a matter of much importance in a treeless coun- 

 try with cold winters, but in the absence of protection 

 furnished by nature such protection will readily be 

 provided by planting trees and caring for them 

 properly. A fair amount of protection may thus be 

 provided usually in from three to five years from 

 the time of planting, depending on the size of the 

 trees when planted, the natural conditions that affect 

 growth, and the care given to the trees. A protecting 

 windbreak thus running around the outbuildings of a 

 farm, not too near and not too distant, may furnish pro- 

 tection the equivalent of what would be equal to raising 

 the temperature many degrees in time of cold storms. 



It should be the aim to place a stable on land with 

 enough slope in at least one direction to carry away 

 readily any surface water that may fall. The instances 

 are few where this cannot be secured. Unless surface 

 water is quickly carried away the surroundings of the 

 stable are liable to become more or less miry through the 

 treading of the cattle. On the other hand, violent slope 

 is to be avoided because of the washing of the fertilizing 

 elements from the manure in the yards. 



Climate and stable construction. — The influence of 

 climate on stable construction is material. In the far 

 South, open sheds may meet all the exigencies of stab- 

 ling for cattle, unless it be for young calves and dairy 

 cows. For the latter it is not necessary to seek 

 for much warmth in the stable, nor for much 

 space for the storage of food, although some pro\'ision 

 should be made for storing more or less of food and 

 litter to meet the exigencies arising from prolonged 



