211 AGRTCULTUFAL MUSEUM 



apnears to have ahiglier da'ui to the attention of our 

 fanners^ than t' - introviuction of a more general use of 

 o.Hti> as sub&tiiutos lor horses in the cultivation of the 

 earh, i.nd the other opeiations of husbandry. 



*' Our bretin-en of the New England states, who have 

 for many years been in the habit of emi>lo>ing these use- 

 ful animals, have brought ^he training of thcni to a degree 

 of perfection unknown to us. There they are used uni- 

 ve"'sally in the plough: and longjournies are performed 

 by them with equal chsi'atch, and much less expense 

 than with horses. Wtien young they are accustomed to 

 a cjufck motion, and are generally bitted, and shod with 

 cloven shoes. The first cost and charges of maintaining 

 horses upon a farm, cannot, upon the most moderate 

 caleulafion, be computed at less than twice or three 

 times the expense attending a number of oxen sufficient 

 to perform the same labour. Horses are, from their na- 

 ture, a more precaiious property — subject to a greater 

 "variety of accidents and diseases ; and, when past labour, 

 occasion a heavy loss to the proprietors of them. On 

 thp contrary, a well trained ox Increases in value until 

 he be i;ine or ten years old; and the profit from his la. 

 b uiin the mean time, amply repays the farmer every 

 expense incurred in raising and tiaining him to service, 

 ar.d when no longer capable of labour, instead of sub- 

 jectuig his owner to a heavy loss by death, he yields a 

 handsome profit. 11 therefore an ox, when fatted for 

 beef at ten y ars old, will produce a sum equal to the ex- 

 pense of maintaining him until that period, it follows, as 

 an ob\ ious truth, time all his labour is a clear profit to the 

 farmer 



" In another point of view, the use of oxen appears high- 

 ly advanta<:'^eous. By increasing the number of cattle, 

 a eoiisidrrat^I* addition will arise to tl:e (juantity of ma- 

 nure made on our farms ; and what to this country is of 

 the moct sciieus importance, we shall be enabled to in- 

 crease fi! ■ ijuantity of our beef, pork, cheese, butter, can- 

 dles, and soap lor market : for though on the first glance, 

 flic triuh of this observation may not appear sufticientr 



