1855. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



461 



success. Here he becomes well accustomed to the 

 Who, Haw, Gee, processes. But if he does not 

 prove sufficiently tractable I return him again to the 

 small yard for further discipUne. The other stec'r I 

 ser\'e in the same way. 



Preparatory to yoking, I drive them both into the 

 pen and exercise them together, making one stand 

 while the other comes up as if coming under the 

 yoke, the whip being held out to represent tlie yoke. 

 Then taking the bows out of the yoke, I lay it on 

 their necks, taking care not to frighten them in the 

 operation, then jjut in the hows, and I have a yoke 

 of oxen ! But pre\'ious to yoking, drive them side 

 by side in the large yard. While dri\ing in the 

 large yard either single or double, use a whip 8 or 

 10 feet long, and when di'iving both, put on a lash 

 two feet long. 



Cautions. — Keep cool ! use caution for yourself 

 and for your cattle. If they kick you, look out 

 next time, but don't return the comjiliraent, for you 

 are not to consider yom-sclf on equal terms with 

 them. A httle patting and rubbing is better. If 

 you have not Christianity enough to return good for 

 e^^l, don't undertake to break steers. I had rather 

 break a pair of wild steers for $5 than a pair that 

 has been injudiciously handled for $10. 



Be very careful not to overload them, and never 

 drive them till they get out of breath. Many cat- 

 tle are broken in spirit and constitution while young. 

 Indeed, very few know M'hat a good, well-broke, and 

 well-fed, and well-tended pair of oxen can do. Nev- 

 er whip, and never talk loud. The superiority of 

 this mode in economy of time, in ease of execution, 

 and in final results, will be apparent enough to any 

 one who trys it. — Charles H. Walker, in Wool- 

 Grower. 



A SHORT CHAPTER ON HORSES. 



W^e are very glad to he able to record tlie fact, 

 that farmers are paying increased attention to the 

 improvement of their horse stock. The stimulus 

 of "Agricultural reading," and of minds of many 

 persons, in regard to what is the ])ropcr stock for 

 farmers to breed. 



The wise breeder keeps control over the laws of 

 reproduction, l)y a judicious selection of breechng 

 animals ; and crossing with an intelligent undei'- 

 standing of what the cross will produce, in " outline," 

 and in anatomical and })h}siological pecidiaritie.s. 

 He is a poor machinist indeed, who docs not become 

 familiar Avith the reqidrements of an engine, an 

 economical expenditure of power in a given direc- 

 tion, and a poorer still, who does not familiarize 

 himself with the tone, and elastic properties of 

 metals, that he may select with reference to the 

 dissimilar requirements of the several parts, and the 

 combined power to be exijccted by the whole. Tlie 

 macliinist aims to produce the greatest possible power 

 in the smallest space, and with the least friction and 

 fuel, in all of wliich he is consistent. 



The art of l)reeding, being of equal, if not of 

 greater imijortance, should be as carefully studied, 

 and ])ractised upon by the farmer. There are 

 several prominent ends which sliould be sought in 

 the rearing of horses ; his reputation will be on a 

 par with that of the well-informed machinist. An 

 outline, pleasing to the eye, a fine (juality of muscle, 

 bone, and tendon, a large develojiment of nuiseles, 

 these combinations giving the greatest power in the 

 smallest space. Speed and elasticity of movement. 



energy, intelligence and docility, large lungs and 

 belly, \nth \-igor()us digestion, thus furnishing the 

 means of engendering the greatest amount of phy- 

 sical force, from a given quantity of feed, and a long 

 life, with continued health and energy. 



These combinations are found but rarely, and we 

 assert, without fear of contradiction, that the course 

 heretofore generally pursued in breeding, has well 

 nigh obliterated many of these leaduig characteris- 

 tics of the genuine horses. 



We occasionally find an animal, in nearly every 

 neighborhood, possessing these qualities in the larg- 

 est degree, and although of advanced age, they are 

 always ready for their rations, and are always rehed 

 upon with confidence, for the plow or the road. 

 Of these noble sjjecimens, of an almost by-gone 

 race, all are ready to bear testimony that " Old 

 Charley's " end of the double tree has never been 

 known to slacken, nor he to limp, complain of the 

 colic, or refuse a fetd ; while many a scrub has sick- 

 ened at his side, or l)een turned out to grass with 

 spring knees, sjjavin, ringbone, sweney, windgalls, 

 and cholic, " Old Charley" has kept the even tenor 

 of his way, has seen generations of badly bred nags 

 come and go, from want of capacity to digest a 

 hearty feed, or to endure the labor of the field and 

 road. 



Farmers should select these rare specimens, and 

 study their formation and peculiarities -v^ith care, 

 and practice upon the lessons thus obtained. 



The very worst recommendation a breecUng horse 

 can possibly have, is that he possesses great height. 

 If the horse had been made like the " Crane," for 

 wading in search of food, or could be made useful 

 to man for hunting ducks, or as a fruit ladder, then 

 it might be well to breed a few for these objects. 

 But, masmuch as, for all the uses to which we put 

 the animal, long legs are a serious disadvantage, 

 rendering him liable to cripple up at an early age, 

 (who ever saw a " leggy " horse fit for the road at 

 15 or 20,) and being invariably coupled with other 

 serious imperfections, it is of the utmost importance, 

 that we steer clear of all ammals for breeding ])ur- 

 poses, both male and female, that show too much 

 " daylight." Or, if under the apparent necessity of 

 breecUng from a mare with tills form, a sire should 

 be selected of the opposite extreme, and thus will 

 the defect "breed off" in the progeny. 



The i)roper horse for the farmer, (and a horse 

 suitable for the farmer's use, is just the horse for 

 all purposes,) is one of enduring constitution, round 

 in the body, thick set, quick but not fiery, good 

 sized joints, but not large boned, broad in the hips, 

 deep "in the quarter, strong in the loins, capacious 

 in the chest, low upon the legs, and having a good 

 hoof. Such a horse will be hardy, strong, and a 

 good traveller, and ahvajs up to the collar and the 

 feed box. Let us ask the farmers, what proportion 

 of the horses that are kept through the country for 

 breeders are of this description. 



The horse that we have described as a "model," 

 will always be found, if liis genealogy be traced 

 back, to have s])rung from high hred stock. He 

 may not be great of six.e, but a trial of 15 or 20 

 years has proved to his owner, that he is possessed 

 of qualiti/, unknown to the scrub. Ilis muscles 

 and joints are firm and powerful, and he moves 

 with ease a load that staggers a scrub with fiabby 

 muscle, and loosely set joints, though he be of 

 srreater size. — Ohio Farmer. 



