AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST 
For the Farm , Garden, and Household. 
"AGRICULTURE IS THE MOST HEALTHFUL, MOST USEFUL, AND MOST NOBLE EMPLOYMENT OF MAN. ”—WASHINGTON", 
Volume XLI. —No. 5. NEW YORK, MAY, 1882. New Series—N o. 4M. : 
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The dividing line betwen the human and 
other animals, as respects intelligence, tact, 
and reasoning powers, is a narrow one, and 
difficult to fix definitely. Some of the latter 
often exhibit higher mental development in 
certain directions than many of the former. 
In going downward,intellectually, from man, 
it is usual to rank the ape family next, and 
then the horse and the dog—the respective 
friends of these last two not agreeing as to 
which holds the higher place. After these 
there is a long succession of animals to which 
no two persons would assign the same place 
in the descending scale—as the beaver, the 
fox, and so on down to those animals and 
insects following only a blind instinct. The 
common house rat will be placed high up by 
those who have tried to exterminate it by 
ingenious contrivances, or by any means save 
poison so placed that it would be taken by 
the human animal. No one can carefully 
study the animal creation without feeling 
FAMILY PETS—PARTING OF FRIENDS 
that there are a hundred animals that may 
contest for supremacy in reasoning powers, 
and foresight in adapting means to ends. 
The sentiments of friendship and affection, 
in all animals below man, are usually re¬ 
stricted to parental instinct, and a common 
interest in the care of the young, lasting only 
a single brief season, and then disappearing. 
But between man and several of the do¬ 
mestic animals there often exists a strong 
regard, akin to the affection of those of the 
same sex in our own race. In the engraving 
our artist has graphically illustrated a scene, 
not rare, where the sorrow at separation is 
almost as strongly evidenced by the maternal 
‘ ! bossy, ” as by the attitude, countenances, and 
tears of the bereaved family. For years the 
cow has been kindly cared for, fed, petted, 
and perhaps protected under a portion of the 
same roof; while in return she has con¬ 
tributed not a little to the family sustenance, 
particularly of the little ones. But now, 
stress of circumstances has compelled a last¬ 
ing separation, and the expressions of grief 
are strong and mutual, at least on the part of 
the cow, who is doubtless endowed with the 
faculty of memory to a sufficient degree to 
recall past kindness. The simple calf has no 
such memories, and exhibits no emotion, 
though the children may regard the loss of 
this pet as much the greater one by far. 
The American dairyman needs to visit the 
Channel Islands to learn the full extent to 
which kindness is carried in the rearing of 
cows. So long have they been a part of the 
household—fed, milked, brushed, and petted 
by women—that gentleness and an amiable 
temper have become strong traits of charac¬ 
ter in the Jersey breed of cattle. This power 
of developing the finer qualities of the bovine 
nature should be more thoroughly under¬ 
stood, and the treatment regulated accord¬ 
ingly. A kick costs more effort than an act 
of kindness, and does more harm than good. 
Copyright, 18S2, by Orange Judd Company. 
Entered at the Post Office at New York, N. Y., as Second Class Matter. 
