USE OP OXEN. 161 



galling. The yoke, on the other hand, being of hard wood, appears 

 to be an instrument that would gall, but I never knew an}' injury- 

 done by it. The neck of the bullock seems by nature fitted for the 

 yoke; the skin, naturally thick, soon becomes so callous as not to be 

 hurt by friction ; it is there his strength lies, even to a proverb. . 



In point of economy, there is a wide disparity between the harness 

 and yoke ; the expense of the former to that of the latter, for eight 

 years' wear, would be as ten to one, and the time of gearing and un- 

 gearing is as three to one ; in other words, a yoke will cost only five 

 dollars, which will average eight years' wear, and can be put to oxen 

 in two minutes. 



A yoke which is properly made for oxen of equal size and strength 

 will have no particular end for the near or off-ox ; but the bows b^ing 

 sometimes untrue, will fit to the neck better one particular way. This 

 the nice teamster will observe, and always put them so. An ox can 

 feel as sensibly as a man the pains of tight or unfitting accoutre- 

 ments; but not being so fluently gifted, and being too noble and 

 patient to shrink on that account from his task, it particularly be- 

 iiooves every driver (who cannot all day wear a key or penknife in 

 the foot of his boot) to be vigilant that the tackle sits easy and free 

 on his team. 



When oxen are unequally matched as to strength, the strongest is 

 apt to carry iiis end of the yoke several inches before the other ; this 

 makes the yoke uneasy to them, and is soon remedied by putting the 

 staple of the yoke nearest to the end of the strong ox. It does not, 

 however, always follow that the stronger ox carries the fore end of 

 the yoke. It often occurs that an inequality of strength begets such 

 ambition in the weaker ox as will ruin him by his overstraining him- 

 self for an even yoke. The driver should be attentive to this circum- 

 stance (if it ever occurs with him), and remedy it, as has been just 

 pointed out. 



It is unnecessary, in yoking well-tutored oxen, to lug the yoke 

 round the yard after them, as they are easily called to that. I have 

 often called the ox I wanted from a drove of all sorts of cattle. Stand 

 the yoke on one end ; take out the ofT-ox's bow ; steady the yoke 

 with the left hand, and with the right hold up the bow towards the 

 ox, and beckoning with it, call him by name to you; slip the bow 

 under his neck; turn the yoke down upon it; enter it in the bow- 

 holes, and put in the bow-pin; then take out the other bow, and 

 lifting up the near end of the yoke with the left hand, with the bow 

 in the right call the near-ox also by name, who will come and " bow 

 his neck to the yoke," and is harnessed the same as his companion. 



An ox-goad to drive with is made of hickory, or any tough wood, 

 three and a half to four and a half feet long, as may suit the whim 

 of the driver, about the size of a man's finger, with a prick or sharp 

 point of iron in the end, projecting not more than a quarter of an 

 inch. This is more cheap and simple, and has been found to answer 

 much better than a whip, or a long green withe. The ludicrous 

 U* 



