A Basket of Chips: An Autobiography

Basket of Chips, page 011

Philosophy and Hobbies is acceptable until nature invites one of the many germs that are for that purpose, to call a halt. As I am on this subject I will state, from what I have ob- served and read, that the human is the most unwise, and knows less how to live of any living creature. During the usual cold epidemic seasons of the year what a nuisance it is to try to fol- low a lecture or sermon. To one whose hearing is a bit faulty it would be better for him to spend his time with a book. Sup- pose it were possible to collect the like number of animals together at the same or any season of the year, you would not find one but what was in perfect health. Under no condition would they eat what was not good for them unless they are compelled to by man, through continued lack of correct food. Mark Twain wrote that if wild creatures lived as man does, there would not be one living on the face of the earth at the end of twelve months. I have learned more about treating illness and infections from caring for domestic animals than in any other way. I will give some of my experiences. First, poultry. I have frequently said that if I know as well at the end of my life how to live, as a six week's old chicken, I will have achieved considerable. Watch how the baby chicks learn what to eat from the mother hen. As soon as they are old enough to digest the whole wheat, scatter a hand full containing some June grass seed or wild oats. The mother will call them to it and urge them to eat, which they will do, though you will find that nothing but the wheat has been touched. The following day put the same in a hopper; they will select the wheat and leave the other. The very silence of the mother is enough. They will never touch what she has forbidden in not accepting it as food. Also with the insects they eat, the chicks are carefully watched by her, and if a chick finds a little bug and rushes off to eat it, she will scold it severely, take it away, and if she says "yes, it is good, take it," then ten to one the chick she hands it to is not the same that captured it. Such is life. The harvest is not always gathered by the one who plants. 11