The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1874-05-21
DRIVING OXEN.


never had any trouble driving oxen,
though ] know n man who'd as loon try
to DIR VI Lions IA to pick up a whip and
undertake to "haw Buck" and "gec
Bright"
Always commence right with oxen.
They don't appear tender-hGarted, and
don't seem to the casual observer to be
longing for sympathy, but oxen have
feelings which must be consulted. It
you want to yoke mp your oxen, take
the yoke on your shoulder and gently
approach the starbonrd OK. If he
moves away, throwing his heels in the
air, turn about and approach the other,
for in the long run it doesn't make n
cents worth of difference which OK is
yoked up first, though there are men
who always pull on the left boot first,
and would persist in it if the house was
on fire.
If the larboard OK runs away, don't
throw the yoke Mt him, and jump up
and down and howl. You can't throw "A
yoke over twenty rods ut the most, and
the chances are You wouldn't hit him.
Take the yoke on your back again and
sauuter across the pasture toward the
first TX. Approach him as if you didn't
care a cent whether you got the yoke On
him or not. Let your face wear a smile,
and whistle some careless air. II he
shows a disposition to run away, don't
go to bowling
"Whoa there-hold on-TH kill you
blast your eyeS-hOld on %
Keep up your Indifferent demeauor,
and in about one hour and a half you
can put your hand on the OK. Rub his
back and speak encouraging words to
him, and let him see that you are his
true friend. In a little time you can
put the yoke on him, and then start off
the other OK on the far side of the
field. If he makes n bolt for the barn,
preserve your careless air, and, above
NIL, don't pound the OK you have already
secured. By Il persistent exercise Of
patience, you can get the pair yoked up
md ready for business by ten O'Clock,
if you commenced early enough. Don't
'cm up to n stump and maui 'em
with n rail after You have them in your
power seek to conquer by love rather
than force.
Few farmers know how to draw out
the full strength of a pair of oxen on u
lead pull. They set the team off with
I yell, kick one, pound the other, scream
1t both, Jump over the log and whoOp,
md the result is that the boyines jerk
md Jump and waste their strength.
lhe right way is to send them off gent
y. Pretend that you are u%nhitching
he chain to go home, and you don't
;now how much this will encourage
hem. When the chain is taut, and the
ken ARE ready for the pull, give thcm
kind word, tell them their motto
hould be "EAcelsior," and that Eng
and expects every man to do his duty.
DON'T throw rocks at them. An cxpe- /
icnco of forty odd years has convinced {
ne that nothing will discourage an OK {
o quick as to hurI u stone quarry at {
WHEN he is doing his level best to {
ccommodato you. {
In driving oXen before Il wagon, don't |
AIRY a bean-pole with Il brad-awl fast a
ned into the end. Tho OK is not as J
Witt on foot rs the antelope or g~aHalle, {
nd they shouldn't be made to gaIIop g
yer ten miles without II rest. There is G
so good to rule the brute crca- a
ION as kindness. The true farmer will, 8
! necessary, sit up all night with n pair {
I wild oxen, giving them kind advice, !
yplalning matters, and rubbing their
Dinal columns with u cob to bring ont
lelr gentle natures and win their conf