194 Improvement of Land. 



ther thing in which I was wrong in not taking your ad- 

 vice, viz. not keeping oxen instead of horses: this 

 spring all my horses became sick, and I was forced to 

 loiiy a pair of oxen. I supposed I should be tired of 

 them, but on the contrary 1 am tired of horses, as I find 

 that With, my t\vo oxen, I can do more work, than I 

 could with four horses, and with half the expence. I 

 have Avorked horses for forty yeai's, and if I had used 

 oxen in their place, they would have put 500 pounds 

 in my pocket. My oxen go to the lime kiln once 

 a week, twenty one miles in the morning, and return 

 the next day in the forenoon ; after resting two hours, 

 they go to work, horses cannot do this. There is ano- 

 ther thing I find advantage in, I cut all my corn stalks 

 and carry them to the bam yard for litter, when well 

 trodden, I cover them with lime, and then add another 

 layer, then more lime, and so on until all the stalks are 

 used. In the spring, the stalks are all rotted, and I have 

 no trouble in turning them up; last spring I had 176 

 loads of dung : the first three years if I had 20 or 25 

 loads, it was a great thing. My neighbours thought 

 me crazy to buy lime, and to be at such expence, but 

 now they are all falling into the same A\'ay. 



I plough all my land in the autumn for com, and in 

 the spring lay on the lime, plough it all over, hairow it 

 down and never am troubled with cut worms or weeds, 

 I find the fall ploughing is a great advantage. 



your affectionate friend, 



Vv^ILtlAM AsHFORR. 



John VaughajST, 



Member .^gric. Soc. Pliilad. 



