TRAINING FARM ANIMALS. 65 



CHAPTER VII. 



SOME HINTS FOR FARMERS — MANAGEMENT AND TRAINING OP 



ANIMALS ON THE FARM — SOME EYILS AND ROW TO 



REMEDY THEM — GOOD TRAINING YS- BAD. 



FARMERS would find it of great advantage to pay more 

 attention to the education of their domestic animals. Many 

 things may be taught them without any appreciable trouble, 

 which will prove not only convenient, but profitable in tbe sav- 

 ing of time and labor that may be effected. For instance, any 

 animal on the farm may be taught to come on being called, 

 instead of requiring to be hunted for and chased home whenever 

 wanted. All that is necessary is to give him some dainty as a 

 reward, each time, and the thing will be accomplished almost 

 before you are aware of it By giving each animal a particular 

 name and calling him by that, you teach each individual to 

 come to you when wanted, and if you reward only the one you 

 call, the others will soon learn to come only when desired. This 

 custom is observed with the sheep in Greece ,• the shepherd has 

 only to call any one he wants, and the animal will instantly 

 leave its pasturage and its companions and run to the hand of 

 the shepherd, with every token of pleasure. Those which have 

 not learned their name are called " wild,'^ while the others are 

 termed "tame." 



Animals cannot associate with man without learning some- 

 thing. Many of those habits and tricks which farmers deplore 

 in their stock, are due to the unintentional training that has 

 been given the animals. If your stock run from you, appear to 

 dread your presence and can never be made to stand quietly, 

 perhaps this state of things may be accounted for if you reply 

 candidly to the question whether they have not been accustomed 

 to tormenting or annoyance, and so taught to be wild. No 

 wonder there is complaint of cows being unquiet, when the 

 habit is so general of pelting them with stones, or punching 

 them with sticks, while driving home to milk. 



How often instead of attempting to teach the animals proper 

 behavior do we see an apparently contrary course adopted ? 

 The " American Stock Journal " has some sensible remarks on 

 this subject : 



" We find many persons, when turning stock into or out of 

 pasture, instead of letting down all the bars, leaving two or 

 three of the lower rails in their place ; and then, by shouting or 

 beatmg, perhaps, force the animals to leap over. This is cap!- 



