136 ON DRAUGHT OXEN. 



obferves, " that the ox requires no oats, and 

 " inftead of hay, is generally contented with 

 " ftraw." I muft beg leave to hint to that ref- 

 pe61able writer and agriculturift, my apprehen- 

 fion, that fuch obfervations may have a ten- 

 dency rather to retard, than forward, the public 

 caufe of employing oxen. The grand ob^eftion 

 to bullocks for hbcur is want of expedition, 

 which, as I have before obferved, can never be 

 obtained from any animals, without foiid and 

 generous keep. It neither confifts with human- 

 ity, pubHc or private intereft, to labour the ox 

 in low condition. 



After a regular fearch through the book- 

 flails, I have at length chopped upon the works 

 of Leonard Mafgal, farrier to James I. By 

 old Leonard, who was a worthy wight, and 

 abhorred witchcraft as much as that learned 

 conjuror and exorcift his Royal Mafter, I am 

 informed, that oxen were generally ufed and 

 efleemed fuperior to horfes, for the plough, in 

 his days ; he mentions diforders brought upon 

 working oxen by poor keep, and their being 

 fubjeQ in confequence to lie down in the fur- 

 row, when they were with difficulty got up 

 again ; he recommends for them, barley in the 

 flraw, which will, he fays, keep them lufty and 

 ftrong; alfo to curry them like horfes, and 

 conffantly wafh their feet and claws. It w'as 

 the cuftom in thofe days to work barreners. 



Tha 



