204 THE PRINCIPLES OF AGRICULTURE 



hair -waste, wool -waste, fish -scrap, hoof -meal, 

 various forms of horn. 



4c As companions 



347. Many animals are pets, or companions to 

 man, and the rearing of them is a species of 

 agriculture. Of such are dogs, cats, rabbits, 

 tame birds, and others. 



5. The Animal as a Beast of Burden 



348. The animal aids in tilling the soil. How- 

 ever much steam may be utilized for propelling 

 implements of tillage, the horse and the ox will 

 still be indispensable to agriculture. Even the 

 tramping of the animals over loose soils tends to 

 compact and improve the land (2506). 



349. The animal supplies means of transpor- 

 tation. Even with the advent of the electric car, 

 the bicycle and the horseless carriage, the driv- 

 ing horse will remain an important part of the 

 farm equipment. 



350. The animal also supplies power for the 

 driving of farm machinery, as threshing and 

 feed-cutting machinery. On large farms, steam 

 power must come to be more and more important, 

 but on the smaller ones animal power will long 

 remain an indispensable factor. 



