1858.] SENATE— No. 4. 75 



upon their merits for a specific purpose, viz., working oxen, found no 

 small difficulty in making their awards to suit the different competitors. 



The competitors from Worcester County have alwiys, and do still 

 insist, that to be experts in backing insures them of the prize. Whilst 

 the competitcrs from Berkshire, Hampshire and Hampden counties 

 see very little use in backing a load either crooked or straight, but 

 they seem to have a handy way, and. possess a peculiarity of physical 

 development of their cattle, and the nearer they are fitted for the 

 shambles the more deserving of the prize. This is their idea of 

 cattle, but in Essex and Middlesex, the criterion is good form and 

 size, .fit either for the yoke or the shambles, work well on the cart or 

 plough, easily fitted for the butcher, and in Suffolk and Norfolk, oxen 

 must not only work well but look well, draw all that can be put on, 

 and back the same gracefully and easily, and be really good workers ; 

 never go to the shambles until they go from the yoke ; or in other 

 words, always fit for the yoke, the stall, or the shambles. I think 

 we can safely say that we had all these troubles to contend with 

 amongst the competitors for the premiums offered by the generosity 

 of your Board, and it is hardly to be expected that among so many 

 and so good cattle, all of their owners would be fully satisfied with 

 our awards, as most of these cattle had taken first prizes at their 

 respective County shows, and consequently they expected it at the 

 State, and certainly would have obtained it had there not been better 

 ones offered. Your committee believe that no team for the farm 

 generally, in Massachusetts, is so cheap, so useful, and so profitable 

 as the ox. 



Good blooded, well built, well broken, well driven oxen will per- 

 form as much real labor on our farms as horses or mules, and their 

 only feed generally is grass and hay, and their only harness simply a 

 wooden yoke, and in case of any accident he may go to the shambles, 

 whilst the horse requires grain, expensive harness, and is a complete 

 loss at last to the owner. There may be exceptions to this, it is true, 

 but certainly it will hold good in most instances, that the ox always 

 will be preferred here on our Massachusetts soils. He should be 

 broken to the yoke young, and always be treated with kindness under 

 all circumstances. A merciful man is merciful to his beast : yet in 

 our judgment it would richly pay to inscribe these words on the yoke 

 if not the horn, of each ox, so that it should always be visible. 

 Respectfully submitted, 



Haevey Dodge, Chairman. 



Button. October 24, 1857. 



