ON DRAUGHT OXEN. I29 



plough :" As foon as the hearts efpied it, they 

 ftarted, wheeled to the right about, and ran ofF 

 with the plough, as though the devil himfelf 

 had them in purfuit ; and could not for a long 

 time afterwards be perfuaded to work on that 

 particular fpot. On firft beginning to plough 

 with oxen, it is advifable to engage a driver 

 who is their countryman, and has been accuf- 

 tomed to attend the fpecies. 



In Suflex, the ufe of oxen for the plough is 

 general, and they perform well upon the fliff'eft 

 clays of that county ; it has even been aflerted; 

 that they hang better to the collar, in a long day, 

 than horfes. The Suflex and Hereford beads 

 unite both fpeed and ftrengih. Some farmers 

 have put their bulls to work with good fuccefs. 



I mufl: not omit to ftate, that my Hereford- 

 fliire friend would by no means agree with me, 

 on the fuperior utility of polled oxen, afligning 

 what fome will think a curious reafon for his 

 opinion. He contended, that in his country 

 the horn was of great ufe at plough, fmce, with 

 the ftroke of it, the mafter beait was always 

 accuftomed to corrett his fellow, deviating 

 from the right traft, and that fuch fervice was 

 performed with wonderful fagacity and addrefs. 

 But whether or not I ought to give up my for- 

 mer opinion, in compliment to my friends 

 judgment, I have not yet fufficient experience 

 to determine. I have only to add on this 



VOL. II. K head. 



