Columbia Democrat and Bloomsburg general advertiser. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1850-1866, 1860-08-04
GRICULTU RAJ.
WORKING CATTLE VS.. HORSES


WORKING CATTLE VS.. HORSES.
The patience, meekness, and uncomplan-
ing toll of the working oxen ought, al.
though it does not always, to endear him
to his master, and ensure for him kind
usage and protection. The writer has
vivid recollection of the successive yokes of
oxen, which during the years of his child
hood (up the valley of the Gennessee,) }
were owned and worked by his father
The country at that time was comparative
ly new and much of it of course covered
with dense growth of wood and timber.
These cattle had about as distinct and
marked features and character, as differ.
ent men; but all of them were similar in
one thing, and that was doing to the best
Of their ability the labor required of them.
Amid logs and stumps, on side hills and
in swamps, over rough roads and through
bridgeless streams, we have seen them
plod, where horses could not, or would
not 60. Some of their drivers were kind,
others harsh and cruel. One in particu.
lar is remembered, who was eternally
wic'ding the whip, and seemed never to
b. happy unless belaboring his team.
H. was good teamster in some respects,
aud took good care of his cattle, but this
defect in mis- management spoiled all.
Working oxen, although far more pa.
tient and enduring under i'll treatment
than the horse, yet are themselves suscep-
tible to the influences of kindness, and
respond quite as readily to the encourag
ing efforts of the driver, as to the lash.
One yoke of beautiful red cattle is now
recollected which scarcely knew what it
was to fbo beaten, and were so well trained
as to be driven side by side around a
field, hawed and geed, and backed with
out so much as tow string to confne them
together. These cattle were subsequently
sold at auction, in order to settle up an
estate, and their admirable training run
them up full twenty-five dollars above the
market price.
Oxen are much better in many respects
for working than horses, some of which
advantages may be summed up as follows.
They cost much less in the first instance,
and are therefore more within the reach
of men of moderate means. They are
less liable to disease, and if an accident
occurs which disables them from labor
they may be converted into food If :
horse should happen to break his leg,
bullet might as well be put through his
head at once, for he is worthless ever af-
ter; but if the same accident occurs to an
OK, he can be converted Immediately into
beef, provided he is sufficiently in flesh
or if this is not the case the wound can
generally be SO far cured as to enable the
animal afterwards to fatten.
The OK will cat less food and Of
coarser kind than the horse, and needs
less attention in order to thrive. H. will
work in localities impossible for the horse,
and go forward patiently with labors
which would chafe the other into utter
intractibility.
No man who has ever witnessed the two
kinds of animals at work around saw
mill yard, for instance, can fail to have
been struck with this difference in their
character. Hitch a span of horses to a
log which is too heavy for them to start at
once, and in nine cases out Of ten alter
one OF two efforts they will either break
their harness, or splinter whiffetree, or
balk, and refuse to draw at all, Now try
it with yoke of well broken oxen, and
they will lay out their utmost strength
with the same gentleness and good will
for the twentieth time as they did the
first.
There are great variety Of duties to be
performed upon the farm, where horses
are of superior advantage; and there are
othersin which .yorking oxen are altogether
preferable Where the business is sufi
cient for the employment of both, it is
advantageous to combine them but where
farmer can own but single team, es.
pecially in a new country, oxen are
usually much the best.
In this fast age, working oxen are too
much ignored, by our farmers, and their
value as laborious and willing servants il
too much overlooked. d.-Wooi Groaoer and
Stick Register,