274 [Senate 



one hundred to one hundred and fifty stone of eight pounds. They 

 are worked in yokes from four to six to a plow, and plow upwards of 

 an acre per day ; indeed they work harder than any other oxen in this 

 country^ for Devonshire is a very hilly country. The Devonshire 

 cows are not of a large size, but very handsome forms, quick feeders, 

 and give milk of a very rich quality. I should suppose that a year- 

 ling bull would not be procured in either Devon or Hereford, from 

 the first breeds, for less than one hundred guineas." 



It is stated in the communications to the Board of Agriculture in 

 England, vol. iv., that ten North Devon cows of Mr. Congon, pro- 

 duced, on an average, five dozen pounds of butter per week in summer, 

 and two dozen in winter j or, in other words, two hundred and six- 

 ty-eight pounds per cow. His thirty cows averaged an annual profit 

 of .£13 14s. 8d., or $60.52 per head. 



Another fact which weighs heavily in favor of the ox is, that his 

 size is not diminished by labor ; a consideration dwelt upon with 

 emphasis by the late John Lowell of Massachusetts, eminent alike 

 for his knowledge and for his public spirited use of it. In a report 

 in 1825, he remarks, " there was another very interesting fact dis- 

 closed on this examination. There were three fine five year old steers 

 of Joseph Eastbrooks, two of which had been worked^hard from the 

 age of three, and the third had never had a yoke around his neck. 

 The judges, and better judges there could scarcely be than my asso- 

 ciates, could perceive no sensible difference in the value of the work- 

 ed and unworked rattle of the same age, owned by the same man ; 

 and with the same treatment and food, the unworked oxen often were 

 in no degree superior to those which had been submitted to labor. 

 Great Britain might learn a lesson from this example if her farmers 

 could have been present." 



Were it admitted, as perhaps it should be, that an ox will consume 

 more hay or Idng provender than a horse, it must also be conceded 

 that the horse refuses much that will well sustain the ox — and the 

 objection can at any rate only apply in all its force where the owner 

 is near enough to market to send his hay for sale. Now as the grain- 

 crop is more condensed in proportion to value, and admits of much 

 easier transportation to market, the horse being the consumer, accord- 

 ing to Mr. Stabler's calculation, of ninety bushels more of grain, is 

 in that view and in that proportion the more expensive animal of the 

 two. In a national point of view it is worthy of remark that he con- 

 sumes too the very staple which goes most efficiently to increase and 

 sustain the population and strength of a country ; very few, perhaps, 

 have reflected on the number of people who may be kept on the food 

 of one horse. For example, the usual allowance for a slave is a peck 

 of corn meal and three and a half pounds of meat for a week, besides 

 salt fish and vegetables ; not enough, supposing the meat to be con- 

 verted into hay, to keep the horse he drives for a single day. 



Another view which must not be overlooked is, that the ox makes 

 much more and letter manure than the horse. He is in fact, a much 

 better machine for grinding down, by his ruminating process, into 

 manure, all the provender which cannot be taken for sale from the 



