AUTHOR'S INTRODUCTION VII 



rived from the experience of the practical and most successful stock men, 

 will be of incalculable benefit to every owner of domestic animals. 



In the following pages the value of kind treatment has been urged 

 with marked frequency, and the fact is mentioned with no apologetic in- 

 tent. It is urged as a policy both humane and profitable. What can be 

 done to improve the condition and advance the comfort of these true 

 friends of humanity is in the interest of economy. There is a much needed 

 reform in the breeding, care and treatment of domestic animals, and the 

 endeavor is here made to direct the way and point out its advantages. 



In treating of the various breeds of live stock, it has been the purpose 

 to give the special characteristics, with the excellencies and defects in 

 each, so that the reader may know exactly which will serve best his profit- 

 able success. In this, partiality for any one breed has. been avoided and 

 an honest effort made to point out the adaptability of each to special pur- 

 poses. This much needed information will enable the reader to select 

 for special objects with unerring judgment. There has been an undevi- 

 ating purpose to avoid the too common custom of advocating the claims 

 of any one breed or class of breeders, at the expense of another, or in con- 

 tradiction to correct statement. The methods of advertising specialties, 

 too common in such books, have been scrupulously avoided. 



To judge accurately the value of a horse, cow, or other animal of the 

 farm, as also its particular features of excellence, from general appearance, 

 manner and physical form, has been given special attention. This is sus- 

 ceptible to almost exact knowledge. Intelligent study of the facts here 

 given ought to enable any one to determine the characteristics of a horse, 

 or cow, or other animal, and whether it is best adapted to the purpose for 

 which it is wanted. Not only can the matter of physical constitution and 

 adaptability to a specific purpose be determined, but it is also within the 

 power of the intelligent observer to detect vicious habits, disease and 

 unsoundness by the same analytic observation. A special feature of this 

 work has been to give this information in such clear, specific and analytic 

 form, both by written word and illustration, as to make any intelligent 

 reader a good judge of the value and qualifications, so to speak, of any 

 horse, cow, or other domestic animal. 



The age of an animal has an important bearing in estimating both 

 value and use. To cover this point of vital interest we have, in the Horse 



