Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1906-05-26
TRAINING BUFFAlOES.
nr. Baynes Meets Dimculties In nA-
periments With Calves.

Tho domestlcation of the buffalo has
its exciting moments, as Ernest Harold
Baynes, the secretary of the American
p,eon society. discovered when he at
tempted IT. One of the reasons when
Mr.. Baynes advances why the buhalo
should be preserved is its usefulness.
Not only is the animal a source OF ex-
cellent meat and Of articles oil ralineht'
hut no believes that it would make
desirable beast of burden. Before en-
gazing in the organization OF the SO
ciety he undertook to demonstrate tnis
70 himself He determined not only 10
train buffaloes as draft animals, but 10
eocure q series of photographs Illus
trating the process. The calves on
which thn experiment was made were
secured from the fine herd on the COR
hin estate. which Is only rev miles
from Mr.. Baynes' home in New Hamp-
shire.
One Of the things which Mr.. Baynes
discovered early was that buralo moth-
ors much like other four footed moth
ers dislike any interference with their
offspring. Mr.. Baynes proposed 10 pho-
toqraph the calves which were to be
the subjects of his experiment just art
or they were born. The picture most
distinctly photographed upon his retlna
when he attempted to secure his pho
topraphs was the image or great
body charging toward him, with head
down and stubby tail aloft, twltchihg
with excitement. The camera was
smashed.
The transfer Of the four calves from
fine Corbln estate to Merlden, MT
Baynes' home, fifteen miles over the
mountains. was productive or series
of buttinc contests. The calves were
70 he transported in crates, two IN
each The first match was with the
men engaged in Grating them. Eacn
man in turn was bowled over by the
Young but energetic things before they
wore incloscd between the Stats OF the
crates The second contest was be
tween the two occupants In each crate
As soon as the second calf had beer
nut in the two fell to butting each othel
theoretically. The calves reached Mr.
Bavnes home at 8 o'clock at night
The crates were opened by lantern ligh
In a barn In which thirty foot per
had been built. The calves shot out az
II fired from n gun and immediatel!
bepan butting their shadows on th'
sides Of the pen and their neighbour
from the other crate. The light IN IN
lantern was Intentionally extlngulshed
and Mr.. Baynes entered the pen
make friends with his new charges
He groped about in the momentar.
ouietness for one Of the calves, but on
, Of them found him first. Then all tn
others got his range, and he retreated
hut not without losing his equilibrium
When Mr.. Baynes appeared with Dol
Ties OF milk. as he did at frequent II
tervals in the succeeding days, for ID
, calves were only three weeks old whe
, he got them, they again butted hin
+, + not as an enemy, but simply for pur
joy. GA.
In course Of time they were htte
= with halters, then with yokes, and
, the age of four months pair OF thel
. were hitched to a heavy stoneboat an
! driven for five miles by means OF reil
a and ordinary pony bits. This pair VIZ
+ finally put into harness and driven
n stoutly constructed cart. When b
q tween five and six months old the tea
was exhibited Mt a New Hampshire a
ricultural fair, where 1t created Sc
sation by the speed 1t displayed on u
= track. Mr.. Baynes believes from d
d experiments that when buffaloes a
r once broken they will prove faste
l. stronger and of greater endurance tbs
N oxan New York Tribune.