New-York tribune., 1906-04-15
TR1I.NING BGFF.fIOES.
Dir. BayHes Meets Difficulties ia Er-
perimfnts zrIth Bison Calccs.

The domesticatfon Of the buffalo has IT'S ex-
citing moments as Ernest Harold Bayaas the
secretary of the American Bison Society. dis
covered when he attempted it, one of the rea-
sons which Mr.. Baynes advances why the buf-
faIo should be preserved is its usefIIu-e-. Not
only is the animal a source of excellent meat
and of articles of rairnent. but he believes that
II would make desirable beast If burden Be
fore engaging in the organization Of The society
he undertook TO demonstrate this CO. himself
He determined not only to train buffa'1es as
draft animals. but to secure n series Df photo
graphs illustrating the process. The calves on
which the experiment was made Wen. secured
from the fine herd on the Corbin estat-. which is
only a few miles from Mr.. Bayues- home in
New Hampshire.
One Of the things which Mr., Bayue- d--ov-
cred early was thar bUffaI, u0th,rs. much Ike
ether four footed mothers. dislike arv inter-
ference with their offspring NJ. Elyu-- pro-
posed to photograph the calves. which s,.-. 70
be the subjects Of the experiment. Just after
they We're born The picture most distinctly
photographed upon his retina when b. at
tempted %. secure his photoa7raI hs was the
image of great body charging toward tju
with head down and stubby tail alof, tvl-eh-
ing with excitement The Gamer "a was smashed
bin estate 10 Meriden. Mr.. Baynes home ett-en
miles over the mountains. was productive os
series OF bUtting contests. The calves u-r- 20
be transported in crates two in each. TIE first
match was with the men engaged in Grating
them Each man in turn boWIed over hy
the young but energetic things before they were
inclOsed between the stats of the crates. The
second contest was between the two occupants
of each crate As soon as the second calf ha3
been put in. the two fell to buttine each other
energetically The calves reached Mr.. Baynes'-
home at o'clock at night The crates vsr.
opened by lantern light in a barn in which O.
thirty foot pen had been built. The calves shot
out as if fired from a gun and Immediately be-
gan buttins their shadows on the sides of tn
pen and their neghbors from the other crate
The light in the lantern was Intentionally ex-
tinSUished. and Mr.. Baynes entered the pcn 20
make friends with his new charges. He gropeI
about in the mOmentary qUietness for one of tn
calves. but one of them found him first Ther
all the others got his range and he retreatel
but not without losing his equilibrium.
When Mr- Baynes appeared with bottles o.
milk as he did At frequent intervals in the sue
ceedings days. for the calves We're only th-e.
weeks old when he got them. they again butte.
him. not enemy. but simply for pure iov
In course of time they We're fitted with hl.-
ters; then with yokes. and ar the age of four
months pair of them We're hjtched TO heatr
stoneboat and driven for five miles by means o..
reins and ordinary pony bits. This pair was
finally put into harness and driven 10 Il stout'y
constructed cart When between five and siN
months old the team exhibited at a New
Hampshire agricultural fair. where il created
d sensation by the speed Il displayed ON the
track Mr.. Baynes believes from his expert
nents that when buffaloes are once broken they
will prove faster, stronger and of greater endur-
lnce than oxen.