STOCK-HUSBANDRY IN MASSACHUSETTS. 201 



in the way suggested by my friend Major Alvord. I -would 

 as lief meet a bull with a good formidable pair of horns as 

 one without any. 



Mr. Sessions. It is a small matter to talk about, but at 

 the same time I have known the horns to save the life of a 

 person who was attacked by a vicious animal, in two in- 

 stances. In one case the animal was endeavorinsr to ffore a 

 person and his horns struck the ground on each side, and the 

 creature without knowing it, worked each way and all around 

 with them, but did not injure the person. It was a narrow 

 escape. In the other instance, the person attacked grasped 

 the horns of the vicious animal and saved himself. If he had 

 not had the horns to take hold of he would probably have 

 been killed. I believe nature provides the polled Angus 

 with weapons of defence, and they are able to take care of 

 themselves and their neighbors just as well as if they had 

 horns. 



INIr. BuzBY. I have one cow that has raised a splendid 

 calf without any horns. I want another just as soon as I 

 can get one, and you have enlightened me, so I will soon 

 have a pair of Jersey steers. 



]\Ir. . The speaker says he would advise dairy- 

 men to divest their calves of horns. Would he advise farm- 

 ers to remove the horns when the calves were to be kept 

 for their own use, and what would be the process of remov- 

 insr the horns ? 



Mr. Cheever. Part of that question has just been an- 

 swered by Major Alvord. A sharp knife takes the knob 

 right off before it is attached to the skull and that is the end 

 of it. You have only to cut through the skin of the young 

 calf and remove the horn so that it cannot srrow again. 



Question. It does not start from the skull ? 



Mr. Cheever. No, sir ; it does not start from the skull 

 but from the skin. In answer to the second part of the 

 question, and speaking for myself alone, I would have no 

 other animal than a polled cow in my herd, if I could help 

 it. I have never tried to cut out the horns to any extent 

 whatever ; I do not like to do even that. I was not breed- 

 ing in that direction. I was trying to breed the horns off by 

 crossing with polled cattle. It came slowly, but I got them. 



