rsisted in walking the fences, travelling in
great strings round and round the pasture. They had lots of grass, water
and salt, but something else was evidently lacking. Immediately the cows
were turned loose all the uneasiness and dissatisfaction ceased. No more
fence walking and no more danger (for me) of them breaking out. The
family life seemed complete. The suddenness of the effect was very
remarkable. This pasture has ever since been used solely for my proposed
purpose and every year has been a tremendous success.

First of all a word about my house and home. Built on what may be called
the Spanish plan, of adobes (sun-dried bricks), the walls were 2-1/2
feet thick, and there was a courtyard in the centre. Particular
attention was paid to the roof, which was first boarded over, then on
the boards three inches of mud, and over that sheets of corrugated iron.
The whole idea of the adobes and the mud being to secure a cool
temperature in summer and warmth in winter. No other materials are so
effective.

As explained before, there were no trees or shrubs of any kind within a
radius of many miles. So to adorn this country seat I cut and threw
into my buggy one day a young shoot of cotton-wood tree, hauled it
fifty miles to the ranch, and stuck it in the centre of the court. Water
was never too plentiful; so why not make use of the soap-suddy washings
which the boys and all of us habitually threw out there? When the tree
did grow up, and it thrived amazingly, its shade became the recognized
lounging-place. With a few flowering shrubs added the patio assumed
quite a pretty aspect. Another feature of the house was that the
foundations were laid so deep, and of rock, that skunks could not burrow
underneath, which is quite a consideration. Under my winter cottage at
the Meadows Ranch in Arizona skunks always denned and lay up during the
cold weather, selecting a point immediately under the warm hearthstone.
There, as one sat reading over the fire, these delightful animals,
within a foot of you, would carry on their family wrangles and in their
excitement give evidence of their own nature; but happily the offence
was generally a very mild one and evidently not maliciously intended.

Around the house was planted a small orchard and attempts were made at
vegetable-growing. But water was too scarce to do the plants justice.
Everything must be sacrificed to the cattle. One lesson it taught me,
however, and that is that no matt