18 BULLETIN 1358, U. 8. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
called, may either be set a few inches into a well-tamped clay founda- 
tion, or better, be provided with concrete bottoms. The more per- § 
manent types of storage reservoirs are usually cheapest as long-time — 
investments and are to be recommended. The big point is to get | 
the storage capacity. l 
TROUGHS 
Substantial and adequate troughs are an important part of a well- 
developed watering place. Trough facilities will be influenced | 
largely by the available flow, the number and.class of animals ex- | 
pected to water at any one time. the character of the location. and id 
the availability of material. Barnes (/) gives a detailed discussion 
of this subject. 
Trough capacity should be adequate to water without undue delay 
the full number of livestock that come to drink at any one time. 
C attle and horses are more likely to arrive in large bunches at water- 
ing places on open, level, or rolling country than on rough, brushy 
ranges. Sheep are commonly herded in bands of 1,000 or more, 
consequently more trough space is required than for cattle. As a 
rule several troughs in series and a stored supply of water for re- 
filling them are needed. A minimum of 60 to 75 linear feet of space 
should be provided. Even then to avoid crowding it will be neces- 
sary to split the band into several flocks for watering. 
Where suitable timber is available log troughs are commonly used. 
A disadvantage is their tendency to crack when not in use. Though 
most log troughs are hewed, very durable troughs have been con- 
structed by burning out the center of large, pitchy yellow-pine logs. 
A series of holes are bored with a 2-inch auger into such a log “at 
intervals of about 2 feet. The log is then rolled halfway over ‘and 
another series of holes bored so that they intersect the first holes 
near the center, forming a V-shaped series. Pitchy shavings are then 
set on fire and dropped into the top holes. The intersecting holes 
act as a draft, and the heart of the log is burned out. The « opera- 
tion must be closely supervised to avoid burning the whole log or 
setting a destructive fire. After the burning has progressed sufli- 
ciently an ax may be used to smooth the burned cavity. Such a 
trough has been known to last more than 20 years. Pitchy yellow 
pine, so far as known, lends itself best to this treatment. 
Troughs constructed of heavy planks 2 inches or more thick and 
from 10 to 14 inches wide are common. For watering cattle plank 
troughs 12 to 16 inches wide at the top have proved satisfactory 
in many places where strong flows of water are available, and par- 
ticularly in locations where the animals could water only from 
one side. 
Troughs 24 inches or more in top width will allow more animals 
to drink by using both sides if divided lengthwise with a substan- 
tial fence panel or guard and may be placed under a division fence 
to provide water in two pastures. The panel also protects many 
animals from being pushed into the trough. For similar reasons 
Barnes (7) advises a strong bar or plank placed lengthwise along 
the center of every trough more than 18 inches wide. 
Wider tops than bottoms minimize the damage from freezing. 
Wooden troughs more than 6 feet long should be reinforced with 
two bolts at each end and should be braced and bolted at the center, 
