The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-02-11
FARM AND
GARDEN ~
INTERESTS
The Use of Oxen.

New England Farmer.
At the close of the civil war and for
few years after that time every farmer in
the Eastern States who cultivated much
land kept one or more yoke of oxen to do
blowing and heavy hauling. Such of them
as had large cows of grade Devons adapted
to that purpose, raised their own steer
calves every year and trained them FOR
work. After they were two or three years
old they would sell for more than their
food had cost, and then they could do work
enough to pay for the food given them, and
the gain they made in weight or flesh was
profit TO the farmer, whether they were
sold as working oxen or reached their final
destination in the slaughter house and beef
barrel.
But conditions have so changed since then
that in towns where there were then a hun
dred yoke of oxen and steers now scarcely
one yoke can be found. A part of this
change was due to the increased use of
moving machines and other farm machin-
cry. AS the earliest and best customers
for these were found upon the larger farms
of the West, where horses were common,
this machinery was all adapted TO be
worked by horses anu was not fitted to do
good work when propelled at the slow
speed at which most of the farmers had
trained their oxen TO travel, as being bet
ter adapted to doing good work at the pillow.
This led to a more general use of horses.
But another cause contributed as much
or more to the disuse of oxen. With the
close of the war the demand for horses
was much less than when they were
needed TO supply the places of those lost
in the army, and their prices decreased,
also did the prices of oxen for work or
beef. Then there was a general shrink
age in all values as the price of gold was
reduced or paper money increased in value
until specie payment was resumed and
they were again at par. Then the mature
and fattened oxen often sold for less than
had been paid for them at two or three
years ola. Then the farmers ceased to raise
steer calves, and soon oxen were scarce.
we do not expect TO see this condition re-
yerSed very soon, but we are glad to see
there appears TO be a tendency on the part
of many farmrs to make more use of oxen
on the farm than they have done. More
steer calves are being raised and the scar
city and high price of horses is causing
many TO think about replacing their pres
ent teams by oxen when il becomes neces-
sary TO renew them. The changes of carts
and wagons from those used for horses
10 adapt them for oxen, and of the har-
ness for the yoke, will not be expensive,
generation who prided themselves on their
skill as OK teamsters TO teach the present
generation to drive them at the plow or
cart. The cheapneSs of equipment for
an OK team as compared to that used for
horses is d considerable item, and the fact
that the can be used for food after its
work is over. while the horse is not, and
thus the horse deteriorates in value with
age and use is another argument in favor of
the team.
The OK can scarcely be used on the
| road to go to meeting, to mill and to mar
ket, as the horse is, though we think at
| the time of the great epizootic among the
| horses many were glad to avail themselves
OF the services of the slower but faithful
oxen at least for all purposes but going
| TO meeting But with one horse for the
road the oxen can do much of the farm
| work They can be very easily trained to
| travel as fast as the ordinary horse walks.
| AS we know from having used a pair of
| steers Upon moving machine when we
were short one horse because of illness, and
felt unwilling to wait to finish a field we
more than one yoke whose ordinary gait
on the road was as fast as the horse team S.
The oxen Will work more hours I'm a day
| than the horse should be used and seems
no more exhausted by ten hours labor than
| the horse by eight hours. 1t used to be
! said that when loads were drawn from
Albany to Plymouth or Bristol county in
| this State few horse teams could go the
| round trip as quickly as good OK team
| because of the longer day the oxen worked
We hope then to see a more general use
| or oxen in the years to come and home
| supply of beef cattle that will render us
| less dependent upon the Western States for
our supply of food 1t may be some years
before this will be very apparent, and il
may not be longer than it will take for
! the calves of last spring and next spring
10 reach maturity.