236 



NEW ENGLAND FARINIER. 



^Iay 



$2800 ; contains something more than 200 

 acres, a larrre two-story bouse with two ells, 

 all finished in the best manner, a good horse 

 bam, with sheds, carriage-house, hoggery, 

 &c. ; a barn of sufficient size to hold 50 tons 

 of hay ; has cut the past season between 40 

 and 50 tons of good hay, wood sufficient for 

 use, a good supply of choice fruit ; well fenced, 

 said to be UOO rods of well-built stone wall on 

 the farm ; a good soil, buildings good, neat, 

 nice, and almost as good as new. 



Now, then, does the land of this farm cost 

 more or less than land at the West, or at 

 VinelandorHammonton, or any of those other 

 places we hear of so much. We have heard 

 a great deal about cheap lands in other places, 

 where that is all they can claim. Why not let 

 it be known that we have cheap land, with 

 many other advantages — good buildings, good 

 roads, good schools, good markets, and all 

 those other advantages that might be expected 

 in connection with these ? The sale of this 

 farm is not an isolated one. I know of other 

 farms that can be bought for less money than 

 the building would cost, within 10 miles of the 

 best market in the State. I know of no better 

 place for a man of small means who wants to 

 go to farming than Worcester county. 



For the Kew England Farmer. 

 SELECTION AND MANAGEMENT OF 

 "WORKING OXEN. 



A good ox should have a long, lean face, and 

 bright hazel eye, which show capability to re- 

 ceive instruction and disposition to obfiy it. 

 Large nostrils denote the capacity of an ox to 

 w ork in a hot day. Very large horns at the base 

 denote laziness. Full breast, straight back, 

 wide ribs, — by which is meant ribs that round 

 out nearly as wide as the hip bones, — and wide 

 gambrels, denote strensjlh. Straight knees, 

 broad toes, pointing straight forward, show an 

 ox can travel on hard roads or pavements. 

 They should be well matched, especially in 

 disposition and speed. 



The farmer who has a pair of oxen, answer- 

 ing this description, has a good team. 



The ne.xt tiling is a good teamster. The 

 better the ox, the easier he is spoiled by a man 

 who knows not how to drive. The teamster 

 should have judgment in loading. Some team- 

 sters know no better than to think an ox can 

 draw anything until he tries him. An ox 

 should never be overloaded to begin with. 

 He never should know how much he van draw, 

 but always have such confidence in his driver, 

 as to think he can draw anything he may ask 

 him to. 



A good teamster will have a name for every 

 ox. and no two in the same team, should be 

 called by the same name ; nor should he ever 

 speak one word that has no meaning ; but be 

 sure when he calls an ox by name, to make 

 him understand, and also to make him mind 

 what he says. 



^Vhen breaking a new team, the best way I 

 ever found to make them know their names, 

 is, when I call "Star," or "Broad," or 

 "Bright," or "Buck," to just touch the one I 

 speak to, with a spur. B}' that means the ox 

 will soon know that he is meant, whenever he 

 hears his name distinctly pronounced. 



The driver should also have one particular 

 word to start his team with. "Come boys," 

 I ever found the best word to start a heavy 

 load with. Some seem to think, when they are 

 driving a team, that they must work the whole 

 time either with their tongue or whip. It would 

 be a most desirable thing for such to learn, that 

 when his team are doing just right, to keep 

 both tongue and whip perfectly still. What 

 would you think of an officer who when his 

 men were marching as handsomely as possible, 

 should keep swinging his sword and jabbering 

 incessantly, without meaning. 



All the words needed in driving, are very 

 few. I think the following are sufficient : 

 "Come," "Haw," "Gee," "Whoa," "Back." 

 These, properly used, are all that are needed. 

 Much talk makes confusion. 



I have known some men halloo and bawl all 

 day long, and make themselves hoarse, who 

 could not at night give any meaning to one 

 word in ten they had said. Such would do 

 well to first learn themseloes, before they try- 

 to teach their oxen. 



A good teamster will make his cattle love 

 him. This can be done only by constant kind 

 treatment ; such as carding, stroking their 

 faces, and occasionally breathing in their nos- 

 trils. This last, is the best method to find out 

 the disposition of an ox. When you have 

 breathed a few times in his nostrils, if he is 

 kmd he will hold up his nose, otherwise he will 

 catch it away and perhaps toss a horn at you. 

 In short, make yourself sociable with them and 

 they will amply repay you for your attention 

 and kindness. Never strike an ox, unless com- 

 pelled by obstmacy ; and by proper manage- 

 ment that necessity will occur very, very sel- 

 dom. Asa G. Sheldon. 



Wilmington, Mass., Jan. 27, 1868. 



Remakks. — The writer of the foregoing ar- 

 ticle is familiarly known in Massachusetts as 

 "The Wilmington Farmer," whose autobiog- 

 raphy has been recently advertised in our col- 

 umns. To a natural "eye," or intuitive judg- 

 ment or instinct, which seems essential to a 

 breeder or manager of stock, Mr. Sheldon 

 adds the experience of « long life in the prac- 

 tical use of oxen, both on the farm and by way 

 of railroad and other large jobs of excavations. 



— ^Mr. Charles M. Hale, of Montpclier, Vt., has 

 a sheep, wliich in the last twenty-two months has 

 given birtli to nine lambs, and all, with one excep- 

 tion, alive and tluurishing. 



