Cows and Men 71 



never reached but by self-exhaustion. My day 

 might come, but I might be dead. Meantime, I 

 must consider what my farming was to be, whether 

 in plants, in animals, in both, or, most critical 

 decision of all, in what kind of either. To a man 

 of towns, agriculture was an oppressively vague 

 term. I might fatten cockrils or breed elephants 

 and call it farming. About that time, and before 

 I had yet decided, the Spectator published a 

 special article on " a new industry " in Ireland 

 the breeding of lions at the Dublin Zoo for export ; 

 but while ^300 looked tempting for a lion puppy, 

 I had already more than enough beasts of prey 

 around me in Mayo. I knew enough of economic 

 history to have small confidence in industrial 

 short-cuts, the royal roads of the incompetent ; but 

 on the other hand, I could learn little from my 

 neighbours, unless to avoid their ways. I could 

 not exist on their standard of living, and, unless 

 I could realise a higher one, the whole undertaking 

 was not worth an hour of my time. As compared 

 with me, the neighbours had the advantage of 

 practical experience. My own advantage was the 

 honest ignorance which has nothing to unlearn. 

 He needs more than twice teaching who has been 

 taught wrong. 



Reviewing that instructive retrospect from the 

 present standpoint, it looks like an act of Provi- 

 dence that set me to work mainly in cows. No 

 other kind of production could have suited so well, 

 and the reasons may apply most where they are 

 least admitted. First of all, we have practically 



