Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1874-02-26
Working Cattle-YOkes and Bows.

WITH working cattle, one of the most
important requisites is that they be as
well housed and fed as you would horses
1t is true they need not be blanketed,
neither need they be fed so much concen-
trated food as horses, but good care and
feeding pays as well with work oxen as
horses.
Another point for consideration is the
desirability of yokes as compared with
harness. While we concede the value of
harness for the wagon, the yoke has so
many advantages in other directions, as
in logging, blowing, etc, that we think it
will not be soon superseded.
The proper shape, length ans construc-
ton, therefore, of the yoke is of impor-
lance. For medium-sized oxen, the whole
length of the yoke should be three
and one-half feet; the distance be-
tween the bow-holes inside should
be twenty inches; the distance be-
tween the outside and inside bow-holes
six and one-half inches This would give
as the distance from outside 20 outside of
| the bow-holes thirty-three inches, leaving
| four and one half inches on each side of
| the yoke beyond. The bows, as to length,
| must be prOpCrtiOned to the neck of the
oxen, being somewhat oval in form, the
swell about one-half of the way between
the bottom of the yoke and the bottom of
the bows, or where the ox's shoulders
come; the bows when formed to be not
| less than one and a half inches thick.
The staple and ring should be placed in
direct line with the holes for the bows
| and equl-distant between the inside holes,
unless one of the oxen is much the strong
er, when 1t must be varied so that the
weaker animal may have the longer end
Of the yoke.
The proper form for yoke cannot be
described in words. The workman must
get a good model to work from. Yellow
birch, beech or maple make good heavy
yokes; for ordinary work, Eastwood Gin
DEM, is both easily worked and makes
good light yoke. Ii thoroughly oiled
after being made, and this be repeated
occasionally, it will last indefinitely.
With Eastwood, six inches should be al
lowed from outside holes to end Of yoke
When yoke is to be made for particular
animals, good rule is to stand them
sQuarely together and so that their bellies
are six inches apart. Then the distance
from outside to outside of the neCks
is the distance between the outside holes :;
the inside holes to be at such distance
inside as to give free play to the neck
without allowing it to twist under the
yoke.
The bows are made by first working
out strips of hickory or elm to the proper
size, leaving a strip Of bark on the outer
edge; then steaming the wood thoroughly
in box made for the purpose, and then
bending, while hot, round a form cut for
the purpose, in a block of wood, say the
stump Of tree, and properly securing
them there until set. We should never
advise the farmer to make his own yOkes
or bows where it is possible TO buy them.
since they are far more perfectly made
than can be done with the tools usually
at hand to the farmer or village black
smith. Both yokes and bows are now
easily procured at the agricultural stores in
our large towns and cities. There are many
places, however, where yokes and bows
cannot be procured, and in this case it is
well to know how to make them. This
can be done by any one handy with tools,
having pattern to work from.
1t will not be out of place in conclusion
to say that in training steers they must
be taught to submit quietly to be yOked
and unyoked. 1t may take some time and
require some patience, and judicious
feeding as a reward, but the driver will
be well satisfied in the end, when either
steer will come at the word to be yOked
or harnessed. Another point is to make
them work equally well on either side,
and in this there is no trouble A yoke
OfOne-half or three-quarters bred Devons,
that are well matched for activity, will do
fully as much work at blowing, dragging
and other like work as an ordinary team
of horses, and are worth fully as much
money; nay, more, for when unfit for
work they may be fattened for the butcher
and will bring fully three-quarters of
their original working Western
RUrdI
"A newiy-married lady, "just for fun"
hid toy snake in her husbands boot
few days ago. The result of the joke was
somewhat peculiar. The husband, on
discovering the mock reptile, first took a
critical look at himself in mirror, and
then, going to closet, seized his demi-
john and threw it far out into a neighbor-
ing pond.