46 Fattening Poultry. — Order on Farms. — Children's Shoes. Vol. XII. 



have seen them worked singly in harness. 

 The general impression is, that they will 

 not do so much work as horses, are not so 

 easily trained, and are more expensive to 

 keep; every one of which positions is, in my 

 opinion and experience, erroneous. I be- 

 lieve these opinions arise out of an entire 

 ignorance of the training of oxen. Nothing 

 can be more awkward than the management 

 of them, which I have seen here. As they 

 are managed and trained in the best parts of 

 New England, their docility is perfect ; work- 

 ing without a driver, in the plough-field, as 

 well as with one; performing as much work 

 as a pair of horses, and performing it as well ; 

 costing comparatively nothing for harness, 

 since a wooden yoke and bows, and iron 

 chains, which will last for years, are all 

 that are required; when well cared for until 

 six years old, paying, by their growth, for 

 the feed which they consume ; and when 

 kept in good condition, as they always should 

 be, if ruined for work by any injury, or if at 

 an age to be turned off for beef, exposing 

 their owner to no loss. In everything but 

 road work, I am quite satisfied that a pair 

 of well trained oxen will perform as much 

 work as a pair of horses, and at a much less 

 expense. This was the opinion of an Eng- 

 lish ploughman, who lived some time in my 

 service, and worked wholly with oxen. He 

 had, before this, been used to horses, and a 

 more skilful ploughman I have never seen 

 on either side of the water. The use of 

 oxen has become much less common than 

 before the introduction of the improved 

 breeds of cattle, which are now brought so 

 early to maturity. Formerly, it was not the 

 custom to send oxen to market, before five 

 years old ; now the Durham stock, and others, 

 go at eighteen months to three years old. 

 Under this arrangement, there is no oppor- 

 tunity to get any work out of them. 



The Scotch plough with two horses abreast, 

 and seldom use more than two. In many 

 parts of England, horses are worked tan- 

 dem; and I have sometimes seen five and 

 six, at length, to a single plough. This is 

 certainly excessive, and the turnings, in 

 such case, most inconvenient; but the mo- 

 tive for putting the horses at length is, that, 

 where the land is heavy, it may not be trod- 

 den hard. — Colman's Tour. 



Fattening Poultry. — It is asserted in 

 the " Transactions of the Society of Arts," 

 that there is a great advantage in fattening 

 geese, turkeys, and in short, fowls of every 

 description, on potatoes mixed with meal. 

 On this diet they are said to fatten in less 

 than one-half the time ordinarily required 



to bring them to the same condition of ex- 

 cellence, on any kind of corn or even on 

 meal itself. The potatoes must be boiled 

 and mashed fine whilst they are hot, and the 

 meal added, just before the food is to be pre- 

 sented. 



Order on Farms. 



One of the editors of the Cultivator in his recent 

 peregrinations, visited the farm of John Delafield, con- 

 sisting of 350 acres, in the neighbourhood of Seneca 

 Lake. He was highly gratified with Ihe system, order 

 and neatness observable in every department. We 

 make the following extract from his notes.— Ed. 



Every person employed on the farm, is 

 furnished with a printed card, comprising 

 the rules and regulations. 



It is expected that all persons employed 

 on the Oaklands Farm, will carefully at' 

 tend to the following system : 



Regularity in hours. 



Punctuality in cleaning and putting away 

 implements. 



Humanity to all the animals. 



Neatness and cleanliness in personal ap- 

 pearance. 



Decency in deportment and conversation. 



Implicit obedience to the proprietor and 

 foreman. 



Ambition to learn and excel in farming. 



Maxims of order and neatness. 



1. Perform every operation in proper sea- 

 son. 



2. Perform every operation in the best 

 manner. 



3. Complete every part of an operation as 

 you proceed. 



4. Finish one job before you begin an- 

 other. 



5. Leave your work and tools in an or- 

 derly manner. 



6. Clean every tool when you leave off 

 work. 



7. Return every tool and implement to its 

 place at night. 



Children's Boots and Shoes. — The at- 

 tention of every mother should be given to 

 the state of her children's feet. How much 

 subsequent pain, distortion and lameness, 

 might be spared, if a little consideration 

 were given in time to the child's shoes and 

 boots. As a general rule, if proper length 

 and width be given, all will be well ; but 

 this must be seen to frequently, as little feet 

 will soon grow larger. 



If shoes are worn, they should be easy 

 across the toes, and of good form in the sole, 

 hollowed and arched at the waist, and snug 



