No. 85.J 



283 



It will be observed that by placing the hooks perpendicularly 

 through the ends of the yoke, the draught is applied precisely as in 

 the double yoke, and the bow consequently keeps its proper place. 



Mr. Stabler, a nice observer and a practical man, residing in a mid- 

 dle state, sets it down that a horse when at work must have at least 

 three gallons of grain a day, and for six months in the year, one hun- 

 dred and twenty-five pounds of hay per week. Supposing him to be 

 at work only two-thirds of his time, and during the remainder to be 

 kept on hay or pasture alone, he must consume upwards of ninety 

 bushels of grain, and two thousand eight hundred and seventy-five 

 pounds of hay in a year,, which latter is amply sufficient, with such 

 pasture"*as the horse must have, (and some additional coarse food in 

 the winter,) to keep the ox in prime order for work without the use 

 of any grain. Thus it appears, that for every ox substituted for a 

 horse, there are ninety bushels of grain saved in a year. 



From data given, Mr. Stabler shows a saving on four oxen, in- 

 stead of four horses, in twelve years, of two thousand four hundred 

 and fifty dollars^ and concludes his observations on the subject, with 

 this wholesome advice : 



" It cannot be too strongly urged upon those who are about em- 

 barking in agricultural pursuits as a means of securing a livelihood, 

 (and who may be free from many of the prejudices entertained against 

 oxen,) to make the experiment at least, and give the thing a fair tri- 

 al, before they encumber themselves with that moth, a stock of farm 

 horses ; in doing which, it will easily be seen, they hazard nothing, 

 for should any wish to abandon the plan after a sufficient trial, one 

 summer's grass will enable them to obtain, in cash, an advance on 

 the first cost of their cattle, if young and thrifty, and such are always 

 to be had." 



