cold of winter or the heat of summer, what do most animals',[|naturally 

 do? Do they seek for shelter? Is it for this reason in part that sheds 

 or barns are erected? How do cattle look as they stand in the corn- 

 fields or barnyard on a cold, cloudy day in January, with a strong wind 

 blowing ? On the great prairies cattle seek the protection of groves or 

 windbreaks, where other shelter is not provided. In the cooler northern 

 part of the country, in winter, as in Indiana, for example, the humane and 

 wise man provides comfortable barns or warm sheds in which his stock 

 may be housed. 



Is this important ? Let us see. 



Some years ago the writer conducted an experiment at the Indiana 

 Experiment Station at Purdue, to see if shelter was desirable for ani- 

 mals in winter. Six cows were used. Three of these were given sbelter 

 from all kinds of disagreeable weather, while three were kept out, ex- 

 posed to all sorts of conditions during the day, the only shelter provided 

 being a small shed open on two sides. This experiment showed several 

 things. First, that the exposed cows produced less milk each day than 

 the sheltered. Second, the exposed cows lost in weight, while those given 

 shelter gained Third, the exposed cows ate more food tban the shel- 

 tered ones. Fourth, from the financial side, the sheltered cows showed 

 nearly $13 00 more to their credit than did the exposed ones. 



The animal body is something like the boiler of an engine. The food 

 is the fuel which creates the energy to make the body go. If this body 

 is exposed to severe cold, then more food or fuel is necessary to keep the 

 system up, and so the cost for food is increased. 



Another thing should never be lost sight of, and that is that it is cruel 

 to expose animals to intense cold without for hours at a time. Even in 

 summer, when there is no breeze and the heat is excessive, all kinds of 

 farm stock will suffer if they can not secure shelter of some kind from 

 the sun's rays. 



Suppose that we make some observations on the subject of shelter. 

 Turn one of the horses or cows out of doors in cold winter weather, and 

 note how it affects the appearance and the appetite. When it is stormy 

 in winter, if possible compare the condition of wool and skin of a flock 

 of sheep out of doors with those kept in shelter. Ask the man who 

 buys and sells wool what kind of a fleece is- most valuable, the one from 

 sheep running in the rain and snow or the one kept in the dry shed ? 

 In summer place some pigs in a field exposed to the sun, where they can 

 get no shelter, and compare their appearance and comfort with those 

 lying in the shade. In warm weather, when flies are biting badly, begin 

 to weigh the milk of four cows morning and night. Now turn two of 

 these into the pasture and keep two in a darkened stable, and see what 

 is the influence on the milk yield and comfort of the different animals. 



