!50 



TJic Coimtry Gentleman s Magazine 



SAWING OFF THE HORNS OF CATTLE. 



THE appendix to the last annual report of the 

 Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to 

 Animals, in detailing a variety of cases in which con- 

 victions have been obtained, mentions one wherein a 

 fine of ;^7, I2S. was imposed on the offender for "ill- 

 treating and torturing eight heifers by sawing off their 

 homs close to their heads." The defendant, a fanner 

 near Leybum, appears to find justification for his 

 barbarity in what he alleges to be the fact — and he 

 brings forward several witnesses to confirm his state- 

 ment — that the custom is practised in Scotland. A 

 similar case was tried in Dublin about three years ago, 

 and a verdict obtained against the offender, after a 

 lengthened debate, in the course of which testimony 

 was borne by numerous ^\■itnesses to the cruelty of the 

 practice. In the hope that it may stimultate to an 

 investigation, we beg leave to cite a portion of 

 the evidence given on that occasion by Professor 

 Spooner, President of the Veterinaiy College, London. 

 It is reported as follows : — 



" I have said that I consider this to be a very gross 

 act of cruelty, and for this reason : that the homs of 

 oxen are unlike those of the deer species. They have 

 a large proportion of bone gi^owing out from the bone 

 of the head, and that was surrounded by a heavy sen- 

 jtive structure, so that, to cut the horns, they had to 

 gO below where it was simply horny, and the animal 



had to suffer great pain. The nearer the operation was 

 performed to the skull the greater the suffering. That 

 bone was hollo^\• — that is to say, it had not one single 

 horned cavity — but it had several cells which extended 

 into the head, though not to the brain, but close to 

 it. These cavities were exposed by the removal of 

 the homs to the air ; and as they were lined with a 

 delicate sensitive membrane — there being besides a 

 delicate sensitive covering outside — gi-eat suffering 

 must be caused. The cavities were never intended 

 by nature to be exposed to the air, which brought on 

 an inflammatory condition. These cavities were veiy 

 apt to be inflamed, and the inflammation was very 

 likely to be extended to the membranes of the brain, 

 causing madness, lockjaw, or other dangerous results. 

 This operation is one of the most painful and 

 unwarrantable that could possibly be performed on 

 cattle." 



Such is the evidence of a competent authority to the 

 cmelty of the system ; but as it is one of trickeiy also 

 — the object being to pass off the animals as polled 

 cattle, and thereby to obtain a higher price for them 

 — the operation is done by stealth. But the questioa 

 ought not to be suffered to rest — the custom is not a new 

 one, and it surely claims the attention of the Society 

 for the Prevention of Cmelty to Animals, as well as of 

 the friends of humanity throughout the coiuitry. 



LANDLORDS AND TENANTS. 



THE following remarks on this subject were made 

 by Lord Erskine in a speech at the recent 

 annnal dinner of the Clackmannanshire Union Agri- 

 cultural Society. Speaking of the great value of such 

 meetings as that which had been held on that day by 

 the Society, his lordship said: — "They give an 

 impulse to the energies of agriculturists by creating 

 competition and promoting rivalry, which, if camied 

 on in a friendly manner, is, in my opinion, advantage- 

 ous. They also give members the opportunity of seeing 

 the advance which has Ijeen made from year to year in 

 the science of agi'iculture. On both these points, how- 

 ever, enough has been said in connexion with other 

 toasts to-day, and 1 will not occupy your time by 

 saying more about them. jBut I think there is another, 

 and a still more important object to be gained by these 

 meetings. I mean the opportunity they give to land- 

 lord and tenants, and all interested in country pursuits, 

 becoming acquainted with each other, and of meeting 



on common ground and comparing ideas on subjects 

 of mutual interest. Gentlemen, I wish these oppor- 

 tunities were more taken advantage of. If they were, I 

 am convinced there would be a much better feeling 

 among us. There is at present a tendency amongst 

 all parties in the countiy to form classes and to look 

 at things from a narrow and selfish point of view, and 

 I am sorry to see this feeling existing, and I am afraid 

 spreading among the tenant farmers of Scotland. I 

 do not, however, refer to this country in particular, 

 because I am happy to say I believe there is less of that 

 tendency here than in other parts of the country. 

 Now, gentlemen, regi-etting as I do this state 

 of things, I do not think the tenant farmers are to 

 blame for it, at any rate not in the first instance. I be- 

 lieve we must look to another cjuarter for the origin of 

 the mischief. I mean to a great number of landed 

 proprietors who do not take a personal interest in their 

 estates, who never go near their tenants, and who 



