152 



On Yoking Oxen. 



Vol. 11. 



plough and two mould boards, drawn by two 

 horses ; to be repeated when necessary. The 

 whole to be concluded with a narrow weed- 

 ing or hand-hoe, along the slip, in the direc- 

 tion of the row, not kept completely clean by 

 the skimmer." 



The advantages of this method of cultiva- 

 ting corn with high ridges and deep furrows, 

 Mr. Taylor states [p. 1U2,] to be, " that the 

 corn is planted inimediately over the furrow 

 of the precedmg crop, and by completing the 

 reversal of the ridges early m its culture, it 

 grows upon a depth of tilth three or four 

 times exceeding what is attained by planting 

 and cross ploughing in tlie usual mode. Its 

 roots are never cut in one direction, and this 

 great depth of tilth thus early obtained, by 

 superceding the occasion for deep ploughing 

 in the latter period of its growth, saves them 

 in the other. The preservation of the roots 

 and their deeper pasture, enables the corn 

 much longer to endure drought. The litter 

 of enclosed ground, thrown into the deep fur- 

 row upon which the corn list is made, is a 

 reservoir of manure, tar removed from evap- 

 oration ; within reach of the roots, which will 

 follow it along the furrow ; and calculated 

 for feeding the plant in droughts. The dead 

 earth brought up by the plough from the deep 

 furrow, is deposited on each side of it, with- 

 out hurting the crop on the ridge, and with 

 the bottom of the furrow remains for several 

 years to be fructified by the atmosphere, so as 

 to escape the present loss sometimes accruing 

 from mingling too much dead earth with the 

 soil by deep flat ploughing-; and yet to mellow 

 and deepen it more rapidly. And much la- 

 bor is saved in planting the corn, whether the 

 hoe is used after a string, or the string is car- 

 ried across furrows previously made on the 

 ridge. 



In all lands unable to produce fotty bush- 

 els of corn to the acre, the proper distance is 

 five and a half feet square, with two or three 

 stalks at each station, except in poor spots, 

 where one will suffice. If it can produce that 

 crop or more, he plants it at the distance of 

 five feet six inches by 2 feet 9 inches, leav- 

 ing two stalks in sandy and three in stift'lands. 



The ridges upon which the corn is to be 

 planted should run north and south, to equal- 

 ize the benefits and injuries derived from the 

 Bun. 



In regard to curing the blades, which are 

 called fodder, he observes [p. 192,] that it 

 must be carefully preserved from the sun, 

 and from rains and dews. If it is shocked, 

 there should be a flue from the side the wind 



"The Indians of our country had an opinion liiat tlie 

 best time !or planting Indian corn, was when the leuves 

 of the white oak, (auercus alba) first made their ap- 

 pearance ; or, according to their expression, am tlie size 

 of a squirrel's ears.— Mra Lincoln's Bot, 



generally blows at that season, and up the 

 centre, to admit of a free circulation of air. 

 The ends of the blades must be laid forward.* 



To he toiitiiiued. 



Ou Yoking Oxen. 



A great diversity of opinion exists as to the 

 best method of harnessing oxen ; it has been 

 made a subject of almost as much dispute as 

 the propriety of working them. The most 

 ancient, and until within about the last cen- 

 tury the only mode, was the yoke, which na- 

 ture seems to have pointed out m the strength 

 with which the animal is furnished about the 

 head : he uses it for detence, and when ex- 

 traordinary exertion is required at labor, he 

 when yoked, puts his nose as close as possi- 

 ble to the ground, thus evidently pullinxr'by 

 the muscles ot the neck. Throughout" the 

 south of Europe where oxen are generally 

 used for labor, it is Ine sole method known of 

 attaching them to tiie plough or cart; but 

 they ar-j there univertajjy vvoiked in pairs, 

 vvherejs in this country liiey are sometimes' 

 used singly in carts, or one before the other 

 in the plough, in whicJi cases the yoke is cer- 

 tainly awkward, its cumbeisomeness, when 

 they are yoked singly, suggested the idea of 

 horse-collars and harness, which being found 

 to answer the purpose for light wol-k. has 

 been very extensively adopted, as an improve- 

 ment on harnessing pairs is of very doubt- 

 ful value. 



The French method of yoking oxen was in- 

 troduced into Ireland a good many years a^o 

 by the Earl of Shannon, and an improvement 

 on It has been eliected by giving to each beast 

 a separate yoke, or forehead-board, under 

 which the animals step more freely than 

 when bound together, and can besides be 

 worked singly, as represented in the annexed 

 cut. 



The yoke consists of a flat piece of ash 

 about eight inches wide in the middle re- 

 duced to three at the ends, and proportioned 

 in length to the size of the ox, the object be- 

 ing just to clear his sides from the traces or 

 chains, as at figure No. 25. This board is 

 lined with woollen cloth and stuffed with 

 hair ; to an iron staple affixed at either end is 

 hooked a long trace, or chain, which reaches 

 from the extremities of the swingle-tree. 



Figure No. 26 represents the back-band, 

 which IS of ash, about 14 inches long and 

 ;3 1-2 broad, concave within and stuffed with 

 hair so as to lie with ease across the back" 

 at either end hangs a short chain, to which 

 the traces are hooked up. 



When four oxen are yoked, the draught is 

 in like manner with long traces, and those of 

 the leaders are supported by a strap across 

 the shoulders of the hinder cattle. It is how- 



