Then, hitching on the breaking plow he turned a quantity of sod which he cut into three foot lengths with the spade, carried and erected the walls of their future habitation, placing the ridge poles upon this, covi red with a layer of boards or poles, upon which he placed a layer of sod with the grass side down, thus forming a rude shelter from the elements. The same process was followed in a sod stable erected to shelter the team and cow. lie usually had to travel several miles ring or neighboring stream and haul water in a barrel for household use until such time as a well could be put down.

Practically all of the supplies had to be hauled from Hay Springs. Of course, the first year no crops could be produced, except a small amount of sod corn; but later the first settlers were able to earn some money by breaking out. tending and planting tree claims for non-residents and erecting houses for those who happened to have more money than led to depend wholly for their supply of fresh meal U]

1 jack- rabbits, which were abundant,

with now and then a deer ; but fresh pork was an unknown quantity, there being no corn or other fattening food produced upon which hogs could be raised. There was also a scarcity of material with which to make enclosures for the hogs. One settler tried the expedient of building a pig pen out of sod, but on leaving home one Sunday for a call upon a neighbor some miles distant and returning after dark, found that the family pig had rooted a hole through the sod, invaded the house and crawled into the family bed.