Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1869-11-25
The use of Oxen.

1t cannot be too strongly urged upon
those who are about emharkiug In agricul-
t1ral pursuits. A. . means Of securing q
livelihood and who may be free from
many Of the prejudices entertained against
oxen 10 make the experiment at least.
and give the thing fair trial. before they
encumoer themselves with 4 stock Of farm
horses In doing which IL will easily be
seen they hazard nothing for should any
wish to abandon the plan amer a sufficient
trial one summers grass will enable them
20 obtain. In cash. an advance on the first
cost Of their cattle. II Young and thriry.
and such are always to be had In answer
20 the Argument against oxen. we hold the
SAM views urged BY Madison
The objections generally made TO the
OF arc II that he i les tractable than
the horse: "a that he does no; bear hcai
a. well 81 that he docs not answer fpr
the >iuglc pillow used tn our corn fields %
that he j. slower in his movements. ; h.
that he is less AZ for carving the produce
OF the farm 70 market The nr>t objection
S cert ,inly founded 10 error or all an
mails The il the most docile. In all
countries whore the OK Is the Ordinary
drzught animal his docillty f. proverhiai
HI, !niractsbllity where II exists. has
arisen from an occasional use OF him only.
with long and irregular intervals iuriu:
which the habit 81 discipline being broken
a new ono i TO he formed The second
objection has A. little Foundation The
constitution OF the OK accommodates Itself
A. readily a. that OF the horse to different
climates Not ONLY In ancicn; Greece and
lisls but throughout Asia. ~ presented 10
u IN ancient history. fhe * aud the plough
are associated In the warm parts Of lndia
and China. the OK. not the horse J. Ia the
draa-h, service, In every part Of India
hs. al. frts -. in. =
Of her armies. The third objection j. also
not s solid one The OF can by a proper
harness. be used sIngiy. a well the
horse, between the rows OF corn. and
equally so used for other purposes. TX
pericuse may be safely appealed 10 on ih.>
point In the fourth place IL j. alleged
that he = slower In his movements This
= true. but Ia less degree than y ofcu
taken for granted oxen that are wen
chosen for their form. are not often work
81 amer the age Of shout eight year.. tthe
age 81 which they ar. the best fitted for
beef are not worked too many together.
aud are 81 tabiy matched. may be kept al
nearly quick . step n that Of the horse
might not say quicker than that OF many
81 The horses we Ser AT work. who. on ac-
count OF their age, or the leaDness occasion
81 by the costliness offhe food they require
lose the advantage where they once might
have had IL; The last objection has most
weight The OK Is not a. well adapted
the horse to the road service. especially for
long trips. In common roads. which are
son. and sometimes suddenly become 50.
the form Of his foot and the shortnc~s 81
III legs are disAdy aniagcs and on roads
frozen or turnpiked. the roushncss OF the
surface in the former case. and is hard-
ness in both cases. are announcement 10 his
olovcu foot But where the distance 10
market j. not great. wher- the vary ing
state OF the roads and OF the weather can
be consulted. and where the road serhlC.
i less in proportion 10 the farm service,
the objection Is almost deprived OF It's
weight. Were IL admitted. A. perhaps ii
should be, that OF will consume more
hay or long proyepder than \ horse, IL
must also be conceded that the horse re-
fuses much that will well sustain the OK
aud the objection can al any rate only APP
ply N all lis force where the owner is near
enough 10 market TO send his hay for sale.
Now a. the grain crop Is more condensed
In proportion TO value, and admits OF much
easier transportation TO market, The horse
being the consumer according TO cal
culAiion. OF ninety bushels more OF grain.
s 10 tina, view and In that proportion the
more expensive animal OF the two Anoth-
er view which must not be overlooked is
that the OK makes much more and better
manure than the horse. He j.. in fact. a
much better machine for grinding down.
by his ruulAnatiDg process, into manure
al the provender which cannot be taken
fOr sale from the farm. II is In few cases
economical. often not. even with hogs. TO
consume the grain upon the farm; and OF
all things that eat IL, not excepting poultry 4
and pigeons, the horse is the mos, e2pen-
siye. As he gives IL back in no way but By I
his labor. aud therefore is the last animal 4
that should be kept when il can be avoid |
ed.
American Stock Journal