Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1856-01-19
AGRICULTURAL.
WORKING cows.


Were the question submitted to us-"Why
should not the COW be subjected 10 the yoke as
well as the OK" the only reply, probably, We
should be able to make, would be the very in
sufficient one, that popular custom is ayerse to,
and would not sanction it. Prejudice often goes
great way, in such matters, even with the best
informed. In this country the COW has rarely
been subjected TO labor of any kind yet in 9TH
err countries the case is different In Spain aud
Great Britain, she is made TO labor, both on the
farm and on the road, and is said to be not only
quicker but more iraciabe than the OK. Oue
OF our writers, who appears TO have inyesiiga-
ted this subject with considerable industry, err
marks 1--WE have no doubt that naay far.
mers who do not want cattle for travelling much
on the road, will find an advantage in working
cows AS this custom is not common among
us, it would he at once opposed by may as in
consistent, and unreasonable. In this respect
it would he like many other Improvements
There was time when many farmers thought
the only method to dispose Of large quantity
of apples, was to work hard in the fall and GIL
up their cellars with cider, aud then work hard
in the winter to drink it up. They woult have
laughed at the lhoneh, of winterng hogs in q
thriving condition, or faitening them mostly on
apples but experience has taught them that a p
pies are valuable for making pork, and that muc,
cider-driuking is attended with trouble and ex-
pense, and is injurious to health and had we
time, we would show that many other improve
menis, when first introduced, were regarded as
changes for the worse''
Another, adopting the same views, says -
Why cannot cows work as well as mares that
are with foa, or have to nourish offspring -
Mares, without injury TO ihe.eeolves or their
month or two or tneTr T0aTTng and they again
labor within few weeks after that time, and
with kind and gentle treatment, and good keep
ing, they and their colts are better than they
would be, if they were entirely idle Look al
animals through the wide creation, and see how
few among them are idle mothers Exercs,
is conducive to health and strength and every
animal iour-leEged, as well as two-legged, ough
TO take, at least, moderate exercise, as II is con.
ducivc TO their comfort"
In this connection we present the following
account Of an experiment, made some years since
by an intelligent yankee Farmer" who had
found the expense of keeping yoke of oxen OF
small farm somewhat more doJiHaiihg, in ,
pecuniary sense, than his conceptions of stric
economy induced him to regard advisable. II,
commenced working his cows in 1896, in III,
spring, using pair Of cows that had calyed The
previous January. They were four years ole
and of large size. He did all his plowine
and other spring work with them. WORKING ,bcH
almost every day. During this time thew con
tnned TO give good mess of milk, and he wa,
unable 10 discover tina, their labor oecasionod
any skrimpaeo. except on a conple ord,ys ,rLo,
ayoung colt, which was under process of..5r,ol.
ingn was worked before them. and ,cc,siouoi
them unusual fatigue. In the summer no h,,I
ed his bay with ,Sor, oad ~ "au
they failed in any respect to do os we'll osovaa
During the winter. which was remorLahIa r.,
its severity. and the deptb Of tho fr,.anon,
they were used for breaking roads. and not m.
frequently got so deeply into the drifts rs Il.
render it necessary to relieve them bv sboyellinc
They we're not, however. in the sliob,os, 10
gree injured, and calyed the G,llo,y;r, An
The subsequent, autumn. he worked an aIl;.
tonal yoke, making team of G,nr co,,s wi
these he did his blowing breakino
during thirteen or fourteen davs be';Is. ~ "''
ing his corn and potato laoIs r''"
His hay was aoan bonsod h, ,oa -.
the fall they harvested his crons and ,o ro aa -
Moved ver. oaas,a1,I', , ni1 e'uS' ana were EN-
ing wood, rocks, &c. Their faod was >" s, "aa
turnips and bay. |, i. hi. onin;o Y' % ,r s'raW
properly subjected 10 Tho voLe wa, eO"s
snTrter tban ovon oud IL, III c'o 4''oAe, an'
according 10 their si7e r. ,a a''v'"' "'',e ''ool
lion. 'p' :" sO0u oonoi
Tbey arc .lso Laos i;c,..,.
than steers as all evoo ,,,'us 70 oreak' he says