No. 85. J 269 



the less speed," is a proverb suited to this case as to that. It has 

 already been seen that ox-teams travel over the ever-verdant pampas 

 of Buenos Ayres, at the rate of thirty miles a day, for a month to- 

 gether. Twenty years ago, the writer of this held correspondence vvrith 

 Commodore Jacob Jones, himself a practical farmer, and an habitually 

 close and judicious observer, and then commanding our squadron in 

 the Mediterranean, on the subject of Andalusian horses, cattle and 

 other animals, with a view to the importation, under authority from 

 the Albemarle Agricultural Society, of such as might be deemed 

 essentially superior to animals of the same species in America ; and 

 we now quote from his letter as applicable to the questions both of 

 speed and susceptibility to heat : — " The cattle that I have seen in 

 Spain appear to be nothing superior to ours, nor have I seen any- 

 where on the coasts of the Mediterranean any that appear better than 

 those in America, except a race of white cattle at Naples used for the 

 draft. I was informed by a gentleman who, in supplying the govern- 

 ment with timber, had used thirty yoke of them for two years, that 

 during that time they had constantly travelled from twenty to twenty- 

 five miles a day. They are generally fifteen hands high; their bodies 

 long, thin and deep; legs long ; small light head ; sharp muzzle, re- 

 sembling deer; color entirely white, except black nose, ears and 

 tuft of the tail. They are most frequently worked in the thills of the 

 cart, and are as spirited and walk as quick as a horse, and appeared 

 not to suffer from heat more than a horse." 



To show, however, that we are not dependant on any foreign stock, 

 it may be stated that the small, pale-red old field ox about Salisbury, 

 in Maryland, will travel twenty-five miles in a day, with heavy loads 

 of lumber going, and returning empty, over the sandy roads of that 

 region ; while it may be affirmed, after particular inquiry, that the 

 distance made by the heavy-bodied, grain-devouring, Conestiga 

 horses on the national road between Cumberland and Wheeling, 

 averages not over sixteen miles, six horses with loads of from six to 

 eight thousand pounds. 



To the letter from Major Thruston already given, may be added the 

 following, which goes somewhat more into detail, from Mr. Agnew, 

 postmaster at Wheeling, Virginia : — 



Wheeling^ JVov. 23d, 1843. 



J. S. Skinnek, Esq. 



Dear Sir — Your favor requesting me to obtain information respect- 

 ing horses, wagons, &c., was received in due course of mail ; but as 

 I was just leaving for Pittsburg, I was compelled to defer answering 

 until my return. I conferred with several wagoners, and give below 

 the result of their united opinions. 



Respectfully, your ob't servant, 



David Agnew. 



1. The usual average daily travel of loaded wagons 1 

 Sixteen miles. 



2. How many horses, and their average cost or value 1 

 Six horses, average cost of each, sixty-five dollars. 



