Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1901-12-17
THE DISAPPEARING WORK OK.
DISADVANTAGES ATTENDING THE SUB
sTITUTIoN OF HORSES ON NEW
ENGLAND HILLS.

The time was when nine-tenths of the
farm work in the East was done with
oxen, and horses were kept only for light
work. Then the era of machinery dawn
ed on the farm, and work by horse
power became more expeditions than by
old methods, leading to the use OF more
horses, and the need for cattle materially
lessened. The first change was an ad-
vantage to the farmer. Many OF the
cattle kept were of uncertain breed, and
often Improbable for beef. Thus many
farmers allowed their stock to dwindle,
and some have of late kept no work cat
tie at all, selling their calves for veal.
In some sections at about the same
time, however, considerable interest was
awakened in fancy Hereford stock, into
which some farmers went with profit.
while those who Immediately followed
with large ventures of high priced
breeding stock found themselves over
stocked with expensive herds and fast
disappearing beef market. This dis
couraged the majority, and when the
bottom dropped out they swore of on
cattle altogether.
But within five years the tide has been
slowly turning, and some have entered
the field with home raised beef at
profit, having eliminated from the cost
of production the extremely high priced
breeding stock; and to-day few fine
herds of cattle may be found in Yer
mont, New Hampshire and Maine: This
proves that the feeling in favor OF cattle
raising is on the increase in New Eng
land.
I believe it will be better for our agri-
culture when more cattle are kept. We
cannot afford to raise timothy hay to
feed cattle for the slaughter at three or
four years of age. but with the general
adoption of the silo, and the raising OF
more nitrogenOus foods on the farm,
there is a profit even with the single OBJ
ject of beef in view.
However, let us look at horses as they
are to-day, mostly brought from the
West, and sold to the farmer at price
of $3.50 to $500 pair, at five years OF
age. With good care and no accidents
thew may be kept at farm work for ten
wears; then they die, and the investment
has disappeared. During the same time
YOU might have raised from calves and
turned at maturity two yoke of oxen
with the same feed and by proper sue
cession of steers be supplied with the
work of a pair of Z feet girth cattle all
of the time, and for these two yoke OF
cattle when sold, if of the proper breed
and care, received as much as you paid
for the horses.
But if the farmer is good enough to
run successfully high value horse
team, his cattle will correspond in quail
ity, still using our lower figure, and he
is $500 on the credit side of his account
with the oxen. This is leaving the work
accounts to balance; but with the pres
ent STYLE of farming this cannot be car
ried to an unlimited extent on either
side. Any we'll appointed farm to-day
must have pair of horses suitable for
the draught required, say from 1900 to
5000 pounds weight; but beyond that
one pair there is need of more teams,
and here is where the cattle proposition
presents itself in profitable light, on
the basis of labor and beef combined.
But one says cattle are slow when they
get large, and not to be compared with
horses for work. turned to market
pair of oxen which had kept because
of their desirable working qualities,
being reliable to plow and do any such
work as that without an extra man to
drive until they were ten years OF age;
and when they left my farm they girthed
I feet and 10 inches each. and at that
size 1 could work them on the lead OF
my fast walking farm horses, and they
would hurry the horses above their nor
NAL speed.
The old-fashionedo was proverbially
slow, because of both breed and train
ing; but there is as much advantage in
Thoroughbred OK as in trotting horse;
there are many places where an OK team
is even better than the average horse
team; and am convinced that much of
the objection raised against cattle to
work is only the exclamation OF a
teamster who has got too lazy to work
and wants a team with which he can
always ride; but warn you against this
same man for horse driver.
The farmer in New England whose
stock for his farm is made up OF a lot OF
horses and one or two cows is generally
hard up for money, while his fields ap-
pear scared and brown when they
should be green and luxuriant. The
farmer with nice stock of cattle and
Just horses enough to make his machin-
cry profitable, has good credit, wears
smile, and will shake you a glad hand
when you meet.-Exchange.