Teachers' Leaflet. 505 



LESSON LXVIL 



COMPARATIVE USEFULNESS OF THE DONKEY. 



Purpose. — By informal talks and conferences to bring out the special 

 good qualities of the donkey. 



The donkey is able to live upon food which would starve a horse. 

 It eats thistles and weeds, and many other things which a horse will not 

 touch. It can subsist on one-fourth the food necessary to keep a horse, 

 and it can carry burdens on its back for long distances, which would 

 break down a horse. It carries these burdens over steep mountains and 

 roads where a horse would stumble and fall. It is the favorite and almost 

 only reliable beast of burden in many cold, mountainous countries, and is 

 quite as useful in the mountains of sub-tropical countries. It is the 

 friend of the poor man because it can pick up its living with little expense. 

 When treated well it is as affectionate as the dog; the mother donkey is 

 exceedingly fond of her colt. The noted obstinacy of the animal comes 

 probably from long generations of bad treatment ; it is an assertion of the 

 creature's own dignity which could not be obliterated through thousands 

 of years of abuse. For defense the donkey can both bite and kick, but as 

 a kicker it is most efficient. It can bear its weight upon its front legs 

 and kick with both hind legs with wonderful accuracy and precision, 

 being able to select just the spot where the hoof shall strike. 



Supplementary Reading. — " The Story of the Donkey," from the 

 French of the Countess de Segur. " Familiar Animals and Their Wild 

 Kindred," p. iii. "Travels on a Donkey," Stevenson. "Innocents 

 Abroad," Mark Twain, pp. 418, 466.. "Aztec Treasure House," Story 

 of El Sabio. 



r 



A Burro ivatcr-carrier. 



ORANGES AND LEMONS. 



Preliminary Work. — Tlicse fruits, although not seen by tlie children of our 

 State growing on the trees, are yet almost as familiar to sight and taste as is the 

 apple. The lesson should be begun with interesting geography stories of Florida, 

 California, Italy and the tropics. For pictures of Italy see " Under Sunny Skies," 

 pp. 19-54 ; for America, " Our Own Country," and " Little Journeys to Mexico." 

 If possible give the children a conception of what an orange grove looks like with 

 its round-headed and thick-foliaged trees, set with fragrant, white blossoms or 

 with green or golden-red fruit. 



