276 ^ [Senate 



other, he should be placed on the off-side that the team may rather 

 incline to, than from the driver." 



If one should be larger than the other, he will be likely to be 

 stronger and more free ; and should they be put to the plow, the fur- 

 row ox being the larger, the yoke will be kept nearer a level than in 

 the other case. It requires but little observation to see that they are 

 easier to be turned to the right, or made to " gee," than to the left, or 

 to " haw," or " come hither ;" therefore if the master-ox be on the off- 

 side, he will assist in controlling the near or left one in " coming 

 round j" but when reversed, and the master-ox on the near side, and 

 he not altogether willing to " come here," the team is some time 

 stationary ; for let the then off-ox be ever so willing to obey the voice 

 of the driver, the horn of the near one speaks a contrary language, 

 equally intelligible. After the yoke is put on securely, their tails 

 should be well tied together, and they suffered to stand tied as before 

 until a strong pen is built round them, not more than sixteen or 

 eighteen feet in diameter, taking care that the ends of the rails do not 

 extend inwardly. The ropes should then be loosened, if possible, 

 in such a way that they will not be sensible of it. Here they will 

 soon learn to turn themselves about, without one violent exertion, 

 or the least fright. They should be tied up as before, at night, their 

 tails untied, and the yoke removed, to be replaced in the morning as 

 before ; and the day following they may be led or driven in a larger 

 space. By this time the cause will be gained in a manner calculated 

 to insure a prime pair of cattle. They may now be attached to some- 

 thing light, and led about for a few hours, daily and gradually in- 

 creasing the draft, and greasing their necks occasionally, to prevent 

 galling. When put to the cart or harrow with others already broken, 

 contrary to the usual practice^ they should be placed before instead 

 of behind them ; by which arrangement it will be found that if fright- 

 ened the old cattle will not let them run ; but, if otherwise, they, by 

 running against the older ones, may frighten them also. 



In Kentucky they practice another mode of breaking steers, which 



is thus described : — Where the establishment is a large one, and there 



are some to be broken in every year, the fixture and practice here 



recommended would seem to be eligible and judicious — "Get a strong 



post eight feet long by two thick ; plant it three and a half feet in 



the ground, well rammed j round or level the top of the post, and 



leave a pin to it, or make a mortice and insert a strong two inch pin 



of tough wood in it, perpendicularly at the top, six or eight inches 



long. Then get a tough sapling, twenty -five feet long ; measure off 



at the small end of it the usual length of a yoke, and bore the holes 



for your bows. Then bore three holes, or more if you choose, four, 



eight, and twelve feet from the other end of the sapling, of the size 



of the pin in the top of the post, giving the shortest lever first, draw 



your steers up, let them be young or old, gentle or wild, it makes no 



difference ; yoke them to the end of the pole ; but instead of tying 



their tails together, if you wish to avoid bob-tailed oxen, tie their 



loins together with a good rope, wrap up their head halters, clear the 



front, and let them go j round and round they will go with a rush ; 



