234 HAMPDEN SOCIETY. 



At the end of ten years, his team is worn out. He sells off to 

 purchase a new team. If a good sale the three horses bring 

 $150, making a loss of an equal amount. 



The farmer that uses oxen, pays for a pair of oxen, f 100 00 

 For a single horse, - - _ _ 100 00 



Expense of team, - - . . $200 00 



And saves to put at interest, . - - 100 00 



Making the sum equal to - - - $300 00 



The sum paid by his neighbor for a horse team. 



The oxen, if fed equal with the horses, will gain, if sold every 

 year, or once in two years, at least ten dollars a year. For ten 

 years this gain amounts to - - - 



The $100 at interest, principal and interest. 

 Oxen being - - _ - - 



Horse, if well sold, _ _ _ - 



Has on hand at the end of ten years, - - 410 00 



While his neighbor has on hand, - - 150 00 



Making the difference in favor of oxen, in ten years, 260 00 



This example does not meet every case, but will be found 

 too true among this class of farmers. We have another class of 

 farmers, that raise their horses and oxen, and train them until 

 they are from four to six years old, making them perform their 

 farm work. As their young teams come forward, and the older 

 ones will bring good prices, they sell the old teams, still keep- 

 ing good young teams, which consume less food, to do their 

 own work. In this way, they realize a steady income of one or 

 two hundred dollars annually. 



In the south and southwest, it seems to be the settled policy, 

 that the most economical brute force that can be employed on 

 the farm, is the mule. The ancients did not employ the horse 

 for any purpose of husbandry. The ox and the ass, were the 

 chief reliance in performing all kinds of drudgery, as is appa- 

 rent from the allusions in the scriptures being to these animals, 

 and not to the horse. But the feudal system in Europe chang- 



