70 TAILS. 



woods, or to a lake, in which they will plunge deep 

 enough to drown all that adhere to their legs. It has 

 been observed that neat stock are more sensitive in the 

 hind legs than in the others, and that they therefore 

 suffer the loss of their tails. 



We think it a barbarous practice to deprive of their 

 fly-brush any description of animals, unless they have 

 been guilty of some offence, — as the horse, for using 

 his brush so freely as to take, like a ruthless politician, 

 your very reins from your hands. Clip him, cur-tsiil 

 him, and teach him better. 



An idea extensively prevails that the tails of cattle 

 and of hogs should be shortened ; that hogs fatten 

 much better, and that neat stock contract diseases un- 

 less deprived of a portion at least of this ornamental 

 queue. Is this fact, or fib ? We think it worth while 

 to inquire. We have recently heard it asserted that 

 there is no necessity of docking the tails of animals. 

 We solicit communications on this subject. If it be 

 necessary to cut away any portion of the soft, spongy 

 extremity, let it be done. 



Last December we killed two pigs of the age of five 

 months : we judged that one would weigh two hun- 

 dred. We never had any pigs fatten better than these, 

 and we had wholly neglected to shorten their tails. 



If it be necessary to cut from the calf or from the 

 cow, care should be taken to leave on much as possi- 

 ble of the hair for a brush. It is asserted that cattle 

 with long tails are able to keep from their backs the 

 fly that there often makes a puncture and deposits its 

 eggs : these eggs become worms, and are not the most 

 pleasant sojourners in hot weather. 



Cows with short tails will annoy their milker much 

 more than with long ones : with short ones, they strike 

 his face as with a club, while long ones move more 

 slowly, or pass entirely over the head. 



