40 THE YEAR-BOOK OF AGRICULTURE. 



that it can be removed with the greatest facility. Another set of prickers are fitted into the 

 back of the muzzle, and act upon the under jaw of the animal when attempting to suck his crib. 

 The sharp points are fitted to the fixed curved bar L, which is secured to the inside of the 

 muzzle, and they are shielded or protected by the slotted or perforated bar M, which is con- 

 nected to the bar L by screws at N, working in slots in the*bar M, thus allowing it to be 

 pressed downwards by the under jaw of the horse when sucking its crib, and thereby causing 

 the prickers to protrude. 



Improvement in Ox- Yokes. 



THE annexed figures are representations of an improvement in ox-yokes, invented by 

 Heman B. Hammon, of Bristolville, Ohio. The peculiarities of the invention consist in 

 placing a ferrule or plate having branched slots upon the end of the ox-bow, and in fasten- 

 ing to the top of the yoke a movable washer having a projection caused to fit into the branched 

 slots of the ferrule attached to the bow ; by means of this combination the bow may be ele- 

 vated or depressed as desired, and fastened in any position. The construction of the several 

 parts will be understood by reference to the accompanying figures: a (fig. 1) represents one- 

 half of the yoke, with the bow-plate or ferrule and washer attached: eg (fig. 2) and c (fig. 3) 



are prospective views of the washer and bow-plate, or notched ferrule, a (fig. 4) is a sec- 

 tion of the bow, showing the part cut away to receive the notched ferrule or plate, c, (fig. 3,) 

 in which 1 1 1 are branched slots to receive and hold the projection on the washer eg. The 

 plate c (fig. 3) is fastened to the bow with two screws m m, and a groove k k (fig. 4) is cut 

 down in the side of the bow, close by the notched edge of the ferrule, which allows the pro- 

 jection of the washer to pass down and enter in either of the branched slots III. When the 

 bow in the yoke hangs in a natural position, the washer is at the upper end of the branched 

 slot, but if the bow should crowd up through the yoke-beam, the washer will fall down to 

 the bottom of the slot, and is thus prevented from becoming disconnected with the bow. To 

 release the bow from the yoke, it is only necessary to raise the bow up through the yoke, 

 far enough to allow the washer to pass out of the upper end of the slot in the ferrule ; then 

 turn it into the groove k in the bow, and raise it off. The opening in the washer eg is 



