V23260 A Cattle Round-Up in Arizona

Have you ever played cowboy? Here are some real cowboys at work. Each cowboy has several ponies and each day he takes a fresh pony and rides over the range. He must keep the cattle together and prevent them from being mixed up with other droves. At certain times each year he must "round-up" the cattle, count them and brand the new calves. In the spring round-up he must count the losses by winter storms. In the fall round-up he must choose the beef cattle for shipment. Cowboys work from twelve to sixteen hours a day.

Boys and girls who like to play cowboy will be sorry to hear that there are few cowboys left on the plains of the West. That is because most ranchmen now feed their cattle grain. When the cattle ate grass they had to roam far over the plains to graze. Since most of the ranches are fenced in, stockmen can feed and care for the stock, and the old-time cowboy is seldom seen.

Copyright The Keystone View Co.

V12119 An Elephant At Work

Far away in Burma you may see elephants at work. They are so big and strong that they can carry great logs as easily as you would carry a stick of wood.

This elephant was trapped in the jungle when he was about ten years old. He was tamed and trained to work. His driver is called a mahout. He would tell you that the elephant is nine feet tall. The elephant is carrying a palm log which weighs about a half-ton. He has thrust his ivory tusks deep into the juicy log. The strong muscles of his trunk hold the log firmly. This log is to be crushed and used a fodder for the elephant. He also eats grass, bamboo shoots, rice and palm sugar. He eats 600 pounds of green fodder and about 20 pounds of rice and sugar every day.

Sometimes the drivers sit on the elephant's back and use a stick to prod or drive the elephant. This driver has trained his elephant to obey without a stick. The elephant knows just what to do when the driver touches him in a certain place. Elephants are so strong and so easy to train that they are very valuable servants.

Copyright The Keystone View Co.

V9865 Mother Camel and Baby in the Desert

Was this picture taken in a zoo? How can you tell where it was taken?

Notice the camel's shaggy coat and the hump on her back. Inside this hump are flesh and fat. If the camel cannot find any food in the desert this flesh and fat keep her from staring to death.

It is hard to find water in the desert. The camel's stomach is made so that he can carry a large supply of water and use it as he needs it.

The camel is a very useful animal. He carries men and burdens of all kinds across the desert. His flesh is used for food. His hair makes cloth and ropes. His hide is used for robes. Even his bones are used for buttons and combs. Choose the best reason for calling the camel "The ship of the desert."

1. Because he holds much water.
2. Because he is shaped like a ship.
3. Because he carries people across the desert.
4. Because when you ride on his back he sways and rocks you until you are almost seasick.

Copyright The Keystone View Co.

26288 Shetland Pony with Week-Old Foal

Are these horses or ponies? How can you tell?

Margaret is just six years old. Her pony's name is Black Belle. Black Belle is not much taller than Margaret and is just as old as Margaret. Herbert is Margaret's brother. He is eleven years old. He is four years older than his pony and about four inches taller. William's uncle has promised him a pony for his eleventh birthday. William is now nine years old. He has just come to visit his uncle's house to see the week-old foal.

William does not know how to take care of a pony. Herbert takes care of all the ponies. He is glad to have William help him and William is glad to help. The little foal has not been named. Herbert's father thinks Black Princess would be a fine name for her but his mother like the name Jet. William wishes that he could name the foal. Can you guess why?

Shetland ponies came originally from the Shetland Islands near the west coast of Scotland. They are bred for their small size and are used mainly by children. Iceland ponies are very much like Shetland ponies.

Copyright The Keystone View Co.

21326 Petting the Colt

These children have just come from the city for a short visit to the country. When John saw the farmer's son, Frank, riding horseback, he thought the little colt was a pony and tried to ride him. But when John's father saw what John was trying to do he said, "John, that isn't a pony. That is a very very young horse. It is much to young to ride. If you should come back to this farm after about two years, this little colt would be as big as the horse which Frank is riding."

John's big sisters and his twin brother, Frederick, petted the colt while their father held him and little Ann stood by. Can you find Frederick in the picture?

Copyright The Keystone View Co.