33 



Never strike a cow wlieu j-oa are excited or cross ; because, on 

 reflection, you may find that you, and not the cow, were in fault. 



Never strike a cow for doing as well as she knows how, even 

 though that may not be exactly what you wish. I have seen men 

 change a cow's place in the barn, and then beat her savagely be- 

 cause she did not go to the new place, instead of the one she had 

 been taught and accustomed to go to. 



Never strike a cow with a view to teaching her anything ; because 

 fear and excitement only render her more incapable of comprehend- 

 ing your wishes ; and because, in ninety-nine cases out of a hundred, 

 a cow has not the remotest idea what she is struck for, and therefore 

 the only effect of the blow is to provoke a desire to escape from 

 further abuse ; and faihng that, a desire to retaliate in self-defense 



Considerable experience and careful study of the actions and dis- 

 positions of cattle have satisfied us that the safest plan is never to 

 strike a cow at all ; but if you must strike, 



Never strike with any other weapon than your naked hand ; 

 because you wiU thus be enabled to form a pretty correct idea of 

 the bodil}'- pain you infiict, and be more likely, than you otherwise 

 would be, to know when to leave off. 



John C. Dillon, Chormo.'i. 

 Mass. Agkicultur^vl College, Amherst, Dec. 1, 1871. 



