The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1898-12-30
Cheap Cow Sllods.

from Farmers review: Inc I'M
usually severe storms we are having
this fall emphasize the care with which
we should prepare for housing the
stock. AS rule horses are well pro-
vided for. 1t Is the sheep, hogs and
cattle which suffer. In these western
parts little forethought, and a mod
crate amount of time, will suffice for
making the requisite shelter. The
country is not SO old but that nearly
every farm has more or less native
slough grass. This, IL cut in June and
September, makes q very good article
OF hay, and for hay 1t is usually cut.
Moved twice it is but little better than
ordinary hay for roof Let it be cut,
however once, and in the fall rather
late, it will be from five to seven feet
tall. 1t will be very coarse and make
an excellent roof. On my farm have
a draw which has never been plowed.
There Is no gully in it, and 1t is about
three by forty rods. 1t is astonishing
what an amount of grass this draw
affords. My cattle sheds, save a cou-
pie of double cow stalls, are covered
with it, and they are impervious to wet
Of any sort. went to the woods and
cut lot of bur-oak poles Of, say, six
inches diameter at the butt, and set
them in the ground couple of feet.
The center ones were longer than those
at the caves, and were forled. In these
forks laid the ridge poles, but spik-
ed on those at the caves. | cut q suf-
ficient number of rafters which 1 spik-
ed at bottom and top. On these scat
tered brush quite thickly, being careful
to lay 1t straight and parallel with the
poles at the caves and comb. Then
laid the long grass upon it, and enough
in my judgment to turn any sort Of
storm. l weighted the grass down
with poles tied together at the top. 1
made them three years ago, and each
fall I added more slough grass, and
during these storms, and every win
ter storm since they were built, my
cattle have been comfortable. They
are open only to the east, the ends and
west sides being boarded. In the fall
l offered half the grass to anybody who
would put the other half in stack for
me. No one came to take 1t. then
cut and stacked it myself. This fall
after the first snow I could have sold
ten times the amount had I had so
much. l have sold a good share Of 1t
for several times the cost of cutting
and stacking.
For cattle, especially milk cows, to
be exposed to the fury Of the storm
of the goth and 21st ult., would GER
tainly pinch them together and dry up
the flow of milk. 1t is trying on my
feelings to have cow all in SILVER
when I milk her; when l reflect, too,
how easy it is to make them comfort
able; merely few poles, little brush
and a load or two Of slough grass,
united by industry. Men don't, as a
rule, publish their carelessness. New
ertheless I am confident that good
many sheep persisted in the blizzard.
It is q burning shame that 1t should be
So If was ever so fond Of money, l
don't think but what would make the
stock good quarters, and endeavor thus
to keep them in good condition. 1t Is
impossible to fatten anything and have
them suffering with cold. An old COW,
for instance, would never fatten under
these conditions. Out of doors moth
ing thus exposed but what would de-
preciate both in flesh and health.
Two years ago 1 attended sale and
bought a number of heifers coming a
year old Such warty set of heifers l
never saw before or since. They cost
me eleven dollars and half each. l |
took them to good shelter and gave |
them the same fare as the others on |
the place. They commenced to mend |
at once. All the winter they had |
weathered the storms without shelter,
and poverty and warts were the result.
The next fall l was offered $25 apiece
for them. Slough grass roofs cover
them now and they chew the cud of
perfect contentment. Hence l think
that farmer, who raises over five or
six cattle, should have, If it is on his
farm, one draw devoted to this wild
grass. That portion Of it which he
didn't need for roofing he could cut
twice, or sell it when cut in the fall for
roofing.