190-The 'Book of the Goat. 



2ft. from the ground. This is the plan I have adopted 

 for many years, and I find no difficulty whatever in getting 

 the animals to jump on to the platform after the first two 

 or three lessons ; in fact, they get so accustomed to the 

 arrangement, that at the usual hours, as soon as they are 

 released from their stalls, they rush to the milking-bench, 

 and jump upon it without the least trouble. Of course 

 the secret lies in the fact that their corn is there waiting 

 for them, and they know it. 



When this plan is adopted it is necessary to feed and 

 milk at the same time, and it serves two purposes if the 

 goats are milked regularly they get fed regularly, and 

 also stand more quietly during the operation when their 

 attention is engaged on their food. The objection to this 

 system is that if a goat is not giving much milk the 

 milking is finished before the feeding, and one has then 

 to remove the contents to the stall for the animal to com- 

 plete its meal there. When a goat has been once accus- 

 tomed to the milking-bench and stands quietly during the 

 operation, the feeding may be accomplished first, and she 

 will then just chew the cud whilst her milk is being drawn 

 from her. 



Some goats are, however, a great trouble to milk, 

 especially at first, as I have before remarked ; indeed, I 

 had one that was quite six months before she would stand 

 quietly. I tried various modes of tying her up, but with- 

 out avail ; if she could go neither forward nor backward 

 she would manage to rear up on her hind legs and then 

 lie down altogether, rendering milking simply impossible. 

 I accordingly devised an apparatus which succeeded so 

 well that I give it here for the benefit of my readers. 



At the head of the stable,* in front of the manger, I 



* I have since erected the milking-stalls in a separate part of the 

 goat-house in conjunction with the milking-bench described above. 

 (See plan of goat-house on page 118.) 



