1869. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



71 



on upland. The value of Lis statement is en- 

 hanced by his well known caution about mak- 

 ing any statement or recommendation which is 

 not fully justified by his own practical experi- 

 ence or personal knowledge, or to which he is 

 unwilling to affix his name. But his doing the 

 latter should not subject him to a personal 

 correspondence. Inquiries for further infor- 

 mation from Mr. Hersey must be made through 

 the Farmer. 



For the Xew England Farmer. 

 SYMPATHY BETWEEN MEN" AND 

 ANIMALS. 



There is a sympatbetical relation existing 

 between men and animals which is not suffi- 

 cientl}' understood or studied by farmers and 

 those who have the care and training of do- 

 mestic animals. That there is a controlling 

 power which man has over the lower orders 

 of the animal kingdom is manifest to all. 

 It is the decree of the great Creator that man 

 should have dominion over the beasts of the 

 field, the fowls of the air, and the fishes of the 

 sea. There is naturally placed upon all ani- 

 mals the fear of man ; so that, instinctively 

 those in a wild state flee from Him or slink away 

 from his presence. There is a power in the 

 eye of man, when fixed steadily, which causes 

 even the the most fierce and savage beast to 

 quail beneath it. There is a power and ma- 

 jesty in "the human face divine" that exerts 

 a peculiar sympatbetical and restraining in- 

 fluence upon every animal. It is the power, 

 glory and majesty of mind over matter and 

 brute instinct. But in order that this power 

 may be felt and exerted in its full and legiti 

 mate manner it requires courage and calmness. 

 It is the calmness and fearlessness of the gaze 

 that give the power. As soon as the eye quails 

 through trepidation or fear, the power is gone, 

 the spell is broken, the beast has conquered, 

 and there is danger. 



It is not, however, to this power in a general 

 sense that we would invite attention at this 

 time, but to that influence and power which 

 are exerted over domestic animals by those 

 who have the care of them. A man is con- 

 stantly exerting a peculiar sympatbetical influ- 

 ence over all the various animals with which 

 he has to do, — which is being as constantly 

 reflected back in the disposition and character 

 of each individual creature, according to the 

 sagacity, spirit and value of the animal. Some 

 animals, however, are naturally so stolid and 

 spiritless that they are almost worthless except 

 to supply the market stalls. How often do 

 we see the nature and character of a man re- 

 flected back in his horse ? A nervous, fidgety, 

 irascible man will make in a short time a ner- 

 vous, restless, fractious horse. His horse has 

 caught his temper and disposition, and will 

 make them manifest. While on the other 



hand, a calm, dignified even-tempered man will 

 soon make his horse, like himself, calm, noble, 

 docile and gentle. How manifest is this also 

 in times of danger, when horses become 

 alarmed and frightened, — if their drivers are 

 alarmed and terrified, the horses become terri- 

 fied and unmanageable ; while on the other 

 hand, if their drivers are self-possessed and 

 speak calmly and soothingly to their alarmed an- 

 imals, they will soon begin to lose their fear and 

 regain their confidence. We have often seen 

 horses when anything occurred to excite their 

 fear, neighing for their masters, and if at lib- 

 erty, running to them for protection, when a 

 few strokes of the hand upon the neck, and a 

 few soothing words would quiet all their fear 

 and make them calm and self-possessed. 



Horses, as a general thing, can be far more 

 easily controlled by the voice than by the 

 whip, or rein even. They soon learn the 

 tones of their master's voice, and know what 

 is meant by it, and readily will obey that 

 voice if properly trained, with far less trouble, 

 and certainly with far less pain and suffering, 

 than from the use of the whip. Let it here 

 be remembered that they are not harsh, angry 

 words, or loud oaths and imprecations that do 

 this work of training ; but words of calmness, 

 firmness and gentleness. Animals do not like 

 to hear the harsh grating tones of anger or 

 passion, or oaths and imprecations of the fu- 

 rious man, anymore than men do; and they 

 will soon, under such treatment, become ner- 

 vous, fiery and vicious. Many a noble horse 

 has had to suffer the most shameful abuse for 

 that which the harsh, angry voice of his mas- 

 ter or driver has made him to be. 



A man can easily make his cow nervous, 

 fidgety and kicking, by his nervousness and 

 irritability, and oxen will soon become frac- 

 tious and unmapageable by the use of harsh, an- 

 gry words and unkind treatment. All ani- 

 mals learn to love those who treat them with 

 kindness. They love the calm, soothing, gen- 

 tle tones of their master's voice, and readily 

 obey his call. A calm, gentle word, the 

 humming of a tune, a pat or stroke of the 

 hand, will do far more to make a cow, an ox or 

 a horse gentle and manageable than anything 

 else, — for these win their confidence. ThQ 

 man who controls himself on his farm, in his 

 stable and barn, among his horses, oxen and 

 cows, gains far more every way, in comfort to 

 himself, in safety and security of life and prop- 

 erty, and in the yield of dairies, than by fol- 

 lowing any other course ; for he has learned 

 to govern himself, and in governing himself he 

 has learned the secret of governing and man- 

 aging his horse, his ox and his cow ; in a 

 word, everything feels the happy influence of a 

 calm and dignified self control. 



Who has not marked the difference between 

 the appearance of a stock of cattle and horses 

 kindly managed, and that of a stock, different- 

 ly treated. In the one, the animals were peace- 



