122 



ON DRAUGHT OXEN. 



refuk I am defirous to communicate to the 

 public. 



The bullocks which I have feen at work, 

 have been invariably the heavy, wide-horned, 

 and thick-hided fpecies, chiefly of the StafFord- 

 Ihire and Warwickfliire breed, perhaps the 

 moil lluggifli and improper for the purpofe of 

 labour that could polTibly be employed. Three 

 or four of them ploughed three quarters of an 

 acre per day, where the fame number of horfes 

 ploughed an acre in the fame fpace of time. 

 The oxen were fed in a lefs expenfive manner 

 than the horfes, having but little corn. They 

 were fhod, and performed very well upon the 

 turnpike road, harnefled in the common me- 

 thod of cart horfes, but having no bits in their 

 mouths ; their tails were buckled up. I ob- 

 ferved they all anfwered the whip, and laid 

 well to their collars. This may be efteemed 

 the lead favourable account of labouring oxen, 

 from the circumftance of their being of the 

 lioweft and moft fluggifh breed ; the accounts 

 which I have received from friends in different 

 parts of the country, are far more encouraging. 

 The following particulars I received from the 

 mouth of a Herefordfliire farmer, a man of 

 veracity and long experience. My readers 

 may, I believe, look upon his account as the 

 hrft-rate performance of oxen in their prefent 

 Itate, and upon thofe of Herefordfl^ire, from 



their 



