FLY TIME 



the time lashing their tails, swinging around their 

 heads and trying to paw up hooffuls of dust and 

 dirt against their sides. Though we have ingenious 

 little contraptions for holding their tails it seemed 

 positively cruel to use them when they were being 

 pestered and bitten, so, after due consideration, we 

 bought a spray pump and a gallon of some coal tar 

 by-product that smelled like a political investiga- 

 tion. After milking we proceeded to spray the cows 

 thoroughly with the vile smelling stuff, and if they 

 had not been thoroughly chained the trick could not 

 have been managed. But though the operation 

 seemed unpleasant to every one concerned it was 

 most unpleasant of all for the flies. Hundreds of 

 them fell to the ground stupefied, and those that kept 

 on the wing kept at a distance from the cattle. After 

 the cattle had been sprayed a few times they objected 

 less and less, and old Fenceviev/er seemed to get it 

 through her head that the spraying was being done 

 for her comfort. Although some of the younger cat- 

 tle still struggle she lowers her head and wiggles her 

 ears and stands perfectly still. Apparently she un- 

 derstands that the spraying rids her of the flies, and 

 the look in her eye when I come along with the spray 

 pump is positively friendly. In fact, she doesn't 



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