132 ON DRAUGHT OXEN. 



the late Lord Mountmorres, a very abrupt 

 difmiflal of the prefent queftion. The Critic 

 fays — " there is reafon to imagine, that expe- 

 rience has proved the inefficiency of oxen as a 

 fubftitute for horfes in ploughing, hnce it is 

 found that the labour of one horfe is equal to 

 that of two oxen ; that the talents of the former 

 are more various, and his exiflence more dura- 

 ble."' All that need be faid here, by way of 

 anfwer to thofe remarks, is, that there is little 

 variety of talent in the cart-horfe, and fcarcely 

 any of his duties of which the bullock is not 

 equally capable ; that this part of the queflion 

 can only affeft the little farmer ; who on the 

 ilrength of having his bufinefs more cheaply 

 peformed by oxen, may be the better enabled 

 to keep a light brood mare to draw his market 

 cart, or carry himfelf. But I introduce this 

 quotation chiefly for the purpofe of apprifing 

 the reader, that there is laid to be much valua- 

 ble information on the important fubjeft of 

 wheel carriages, in the pamphlet of the noble 

 lord above-mentioned. 



My intelligence from feveral different quar- 

 ters in the Weft, goes to the length of a decid- 

 ed preference of oxen, both at plough and 

 cart, refulting from long experience and fair 

 trial ; but at the fame time I ought in juftice 

 to acknowledge, that my countrymen, the far- 

 mers of Efiex, as far as I am acquainted, as 



pofitively 



