Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1841-04-12
AGRICULTURE.
MARKS OF GOOD WORKING OXEN
FEEDING MANAGEMENT, sc.

The writer of the following has great deal of
practical knowledge, and is distinguished for his
sound reasoning and intelligence on various sub
jects-on the following, he is probably excelled
by no man in the county, Yankee Farmer.
Mr.. Editor: -Sir-The following give as my
opinion, concerning the marks Of q good toorktng
or SC.
/. Long head, broad and oval between the eyes,
the eye keen Full and pleasant, such are marks,
denoing ability to receive instruction, and readi-
ness to obey.
2. Forward legs should be straight, toes straight
forward, hoof broad not peaked, distance short
between ANGLE and knee.
ihese properties enable the OK TO travel on paves
and hard ground.
3. Full breast, straight on the back round rib
projecting out as wide as the hip bones these
are indications of strength and good constitution.
In opposition to the above, we find the short
faced OK, starts quick at the whip, but soon for
gets it.
Ii the OK toes out, the strain comes on the in
side claw, and when travelling on hard road he
will he lame at the joint between the hoof, and
the hair. When the toes turn out, the knees al.
ways bend in The crooked kneed OK is apt to
become lame by holding heavy loads down hin.
Comparison, straight stick, when set on ole
end, will bear up more weight than q crooked
one.
| The OK with very large horns near The head is
apt to be lazy, and will not stand the heat of The
day. The black eyed OK is apt to run away; oxen
working in the same yoke should carry their heads
on level with each other.
Oxen working on stone drag, and on the foot
of plough, the sled spire, or cart spire,
twltchng stones or timber, should carry their
heads up, as it will enable them to do this kind of
work much easier. Oxen HAT work as leaders
forward OF other oxen should carry their heads
low
Oxen should be shod with abroad sh6e. To
travel on hard road, the shoe on the forward foot
should be set back at the heel nearly half an inch
further than the hoof Gears upon it, have fire.
quenty known oxen to be lame in consequence of
the shoe being too short at the heel.
The best way OF feeding for hard work,
give each two quarts of meal wet, and mixed with
chopped hay three times day, and what hay his
appetite naturally Graves besides. This is the
highest feed the working OK ought TO have, and
will enable the good OK to work ten or twelve
hours every day. l think rye and indian meal
mixed together is better than clear indian. Farm
ers who do not work their oxen hard, have no
need Of giving them so much meal.
Steers should be broke quite young. Boys
should never yoke them for the sake OF froc.
| think good plan for farmers, when they are
going short distance after load to take their
steers with them, and let the steers lead the team
towards home. They will learn TO draw towards
the barn much better than from it. / have found
it much easier TO learn steers or oxen TO back, by
giving them gentle slap OH the nose with the
bare hand then by striking them with the butt end
of the whip stick, which is too often done.
| When steers are first yolied, they may be al.
lowed to walk about in the barn yard until they
are satisfied the yoke will not hurt Them Work.
ing the young steer carefully causes his strength
TO gain with his growth Eithout injuring the lat
ter.
| The best pair of working ox.n J have ever
known, were handy before six months old, and
are now owned at the state prison in Charlea'own,
Mass. --
From experience, l do say, in my Opinion.
steers broke quee young, nre worth, for hurd
labor, twenty five per cent more than oxen that
have come 10 their growth before they are yoked.
| One word TO the drivers of oxen Feed regular
and do moi forget the card, especially when they
are shedding their coat. Have the yoke the right
| length that your oxen may walk up straight.--
Let the bows suit their necks the yoke and bows
to the leaders should set little snugger than to
the nib oxen never use the whip only out of
necessity hen you about TO strike the young
steer, ask yourself, Will he know what strike
him for? Let each OK have name; and be sure
that every OK in your team knows his name; new
er speak word to OK without n meaning
Have particular word to start your team by, that
all may haul together, never hurry your oxen
when you are riding behind them, les. you learn
them to haul apart. A. G. SHELDON.
Wilmington, March 10, lSll
.Subsoa Gardening. The period has arrived
when gardening must commence, and those whose
garden plants are underaid with a stiff tenacious
subsoll, would do well by considering wheher
some measure might not be taken with il that
would render it more certainly productive. 1t
has been demonstrated beyond cavil that when
tenacious subsoil is dug and loosened up, without
bringing it TO the surface, or mixing it with the
vegetable mould OF the surface soil if .the season
Is very wet, the water descends INTO it ready
and the plants are protected from the ni,,ry of
their food being too much diluted with water ,
and If n drought comes on, The robts penetrate
| nd ham N,ttn a l..yt h..
moisture which lies below and the capillary at.
traction IN the earth brings the moisture upwards
To The surface, and feeds and reireshes the veget-
ab!es Any way you may fix it, it does much
good like all those good, honest old rules, that
work well either eud foremost
The way 10 work il is 10 dig n little gutter n
SPIT deep and the width of the SPADE along The
side Of "A bed and throw The surface earth, which
comes out OF it 10 the other end of the bed which
is To be dug, where it will be required for the
purpose OF filling the trench which viii he ieit
at the conclusion Of tle work. Thsu bsa:,, a,
one end of this gutter ana. dig il up and turu h
over an The bottom, from end 90 end when His a
done, begin and dig in the usual way turning
down the surface soil OIL the s,lbsoil which has
just been dug; doing this from end to end
properly, VIII leave another gutter, which dig and
overurn AS before and so proceed I'LL The bed is
all dug two splits deep the subsoiI being turned
iopsy tarvy, but none of it being brought up or>
mixed with the surface mould.
10 make stubborn horse pull 1t is said, if
Irvine be tied close round Il horses car, when he
has refused to pull he will exert himself to the
utmost OF his ability.
Some years ago, when the famous Walk-in-the
Water was running so successfully in the West,
he came IN contact with smart FLY at Gallatin,
Tenn. and his friends knowing she had good
parts, determined to heat her bv auifce. Sba
was iretiu stubborn and unmanageoble. 40 ca
80 thought OF having her Kissed 6y The rider of
'oId walk" TIL she would grow crazy, and then
ne knew he could run her down and bent her
very easily. But astonishing to every body. The
hlly came TO the stand for The first time, as genle
and unexciIable as an old plough horse she star.
ed wei, run without irritation, and bent The oId
horse two straight four mile heats with The grea,
Isl ease. The mystery was then, and has bcs,,