Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1868-05-29
FARM AND HOUSEHOLD.

SELECTION AND MANAGEMENT OF
WORKING OXRN.--A good OK should
have long. lean face, and bright ha-
Eel eye, which shows capability TO re-
OeIVe instruction and disposition to
obey il. Large nostFils denote the ca pae-
ltY OF an on 20 work il q hot day. Very
large hOrns at the base denote lagiuess.
Full breast, straight back, wide RIBS
By which is meant ribs that round out
nearly Sc wide as the hip boues-and
wide gambrel, denote strength.
Straight knees, broad toes, pointing
straight forward. show en- OK can tFaV-
Ell on hard roads or pavements. They
should be well matched, especially in
disposition aud speed.
The farmer who has q pair Of oxen
answering this description has a good
team.
The next thing is q good teamster.
The better the or, the easier he is
spoiled by man who knows not nov
to drive. The teamater shouid have
Judgment ID loading. Some teanasters
know no better shan to thiuk an Ok
can draw any thing until he tries him.
An OK should never be overloaded to
begin with. He never should know how
much be can draw. but always have
such eOnhdauce in his driver az TO
think ne can draw anything he may
ask him 20.
a good teamster will have a name
for every OK, and no two in the same
team should be called by the same nor
should be ever speak one word that
has no meaning but be sure when he
calls an OK By name to make him un-
derstand, and also TO make him mind
what he says.
When breaking a new team, the best
way i ever found to make them know
their. names Is, when / call Star, or
Broad, OF Bright or BUCK, to
Just touch the one | speak to WITH 9
a spur. BY that means the OK will
soon know that he is meant, wheneV-
CT he hears his name distinctly pro-
nounced.
The driver should also have one par
ticular word to start his team with.
Gone boys. Fl have found the. best
word 50 start a heavy load with. Some
seem to think. when they are driviGg
a team that they must work the whole
time either with their tongue or whip.
ft would be a MOST desirabis thing
for such TO leaYn thet When the team
is doing Just right, to keep b0sh
tongue and whip perfectly stiH. WHa9l
would you think of an officer who,
when his men we're marching as hand
somely as possible. should be swinging
his sword and jabbering necessarily
with out meaning.
All the words needed in driving are
very few. / Ithink the following are
spficient. "Come, "HaW, Gee,
'aYV hoa, Back. y These. properly
Bsad are all that are needed. Much
teik makes confusion.
I have known some men to halloo and
ba vi all day long, and make themselves
horse, who could not at night give
any meaning to one word IN ten they
had said. Such would do we'll TO hrst
learn themselves, before they tTy to
teach their oeen.
A good teamster will make his cat
tie love him. This can be done only
BY constant kind treatment such as
CARDIAC, stTokiDe their faces and oc-
cRsi0nally breathing IN their nostrlls.
This last is the best method to tiud
out the disposition of an OK, " hen
you have breathed few times ID his
nostrils. if he is kind he will hold up
his nose, otherwise be will catch 1t
away, and perhaps toss hOrE ct you,
In short, make yourself sOciabls with
them, aud they will amply repay. yo0
for your attention and kindness, Never
strike an OK unless compelled BY OBJ
stinacy and By proper man agemen
that necessity will occur very, Uerg sell
dom. Asa @. SHELDON,
Wilmington, Mass, January n, 18-
GO.
REMARKS. The writer of the fore
going article is Familiarity known in
Massachusetts as The Wilmington
Farmer, whose autobiography has been
recently advertised in our colums. To
natural "eye," or intUitive Judgment
or instinct, which seems ESSENTIAL to
breeder or manager Of stock, Mr
Sheldon adds the experience of a long.
life in the practioalUse of oxen, both
on the farm and by way ofrailroad and
other large jobs Of excaVa5iO a5iOHs.--NelO
England Farmer.