1030 



PRACTICE OF AGRICULTURE. 



Part III. 



Herefordshire, and as they are only worked a few years it does not seem desirable to be at any great ex- 

 pense in their training. The Roman practice, in this particular, may deserve imitation. (99.) 



6910. Working oxen when kept in a house are generally confined to their places by the same sort of 

 fastening used for cows, {Jig. 865.), in which their neck has free play between two upright spars; but in 



865 some establishments a ring 



of a particular description 



(Jig. 866.) is used, to which 



they are tied by a halter 



attached to a head strap or 



bridle. The ring is gene- 



rally screwed into the front 



of the manger or eating 



trough. The cattle fasten- 



ing used in Devonshire is 



a wooden bow put on their 



necks and fastened to a 



round post. The bow con. 

 ists of two pieces; the yoke, which has two slits terminating 

 in round holes ; and the bow, which is made of split ash, and 

 has a knob at each end. These knobs being put through the 

 round holes, the elasticity of the bow forces it along the slit 

 and prevents it from returning. 



6911. Harness for labouring cattle is of three kinds: that for bearing as saddles some sorts of oxen 

 yokes ; that for drawing or pushing, as traces, brechins of saddles, &c. ; and that for guiding the animals, 

 as bridles, halters, reins, &c. These articles are of considerable expense, but when taken care of, kept 

 dry, and the iron joints and leathers oiled occasionally, they will last a long time. In making all harness 

 for beasts of labour great care ought to be taken to avoid superfluous materials which only encumber, and 

 ornaments which only add to the expense. The London harness is much too heavy for agricultural pur- 

 poses ; that of Berwick or Newcastle is much more light and sufficiently strong. 



6912. The most approved kind of harness for the ox is little different from that of the horse, except in 



867 the shape of the collar. In many places however, and especially 



on the Continent, the ox draws solely by the withers, by means 

 of what is called a yoke and bow. (fig. 867.) 



6913. The shoeing of oxen is a practice which is yet far from 

 being performed in a perfect manner. Clark says, that in many 

 parts of France, wliere the ox is used for draught, it is some- 

 times necessary to employ eight shoes, one under each nail ; or 

 four, one under each external nail ; and sometimes only two, 

 one under the external nail of each fore foot. In this country 

 two pieces or shoes to each foot are generally made use of, being 

 mostly fixed on, especially in the northern districts, with three 

 or four large-headed nails to each shoe. They are fitted on in 

 a similar manner to those of the horse. But, as the shoes of 

 these animals from the smallness of the pieces are so liable to 

 break, it has been suggested to have them shod with whole shoes in the manner of the horse ; but how 



As there is much trouble in the shoeing 



far this practice would answer, must depend upon future trials. 

 869 of oxen, from the necessity for casting them 

 each time, it has been found requisite to have 

 recourse to contrivances for shoeing them 

 standing (Jig. 868.) 



6914. An ox shoe (Jig. 869.) consisU of a flat 

 piece of iron, with five or six stamp holes on 

 the outward edge to receive the nails ; at the 

 toe is a projection of some inches, which, pass- 

 ing in the cleft of the foot, is bent over the 

 hoof, so as to keep the shoe in its proper 

 place. This projection is not, however, em- 

 ployed in the general practice of making 

 these shoes. 



6915. The age at which an ox may be worked is from two and a half to three and a half 

 years. Some begin at two, but it ought to be for very light operations, and such as 

 are not of long duration. The period to which the ox is worked varies from his fifth 

 to his tenth year. 



6916. Parkinson's father used to make up occasionally an ox team for the plough of four oxen and one 

 horse as a leader, which he found did about two thirds of the labour of two horses. There are, he says, 

 great objections to ox-teams in the plough. He has, however found them useful in some sorts of farm- 

 work, from their slow, steady pace ; as in scarifying, leading dung, &c., as the work suits them from its 

 being easy, and having a great deal of standing : they are, says he, much more cheaply kept than horses, 

 and eat straw in the winter, and are valuable for making dung. He never saw this practice injure their 

 growth. They may be worked from two till five years old, without any loss of time, as they grow to that 

 age, and are then both larger and better beef than three- year-old steers. He therefore recommends ox- 

 teams for leading dung and the other odd jobs, but not to plough and harrow. If they are worked to 

 the age of eight or ten years, it is, he thinks, a real injury to the public, and an unprofitable practice to 

 the farmer. 



6017. Bakewell used to work his heifers moderately, whilst carrying their first calves ; an unobjection- 

 able practice, provided they are well fed. Bulls are generally allowed to be good labourers, and capable, 

 if high fed, of vast exertions. 



6918. The length of time per day which an ox is kept in the yoke varies according to the kind of labour, 

 and the age and keep of the ox. If an ox is fed on hay, oats, and some roots, he will plough four days a 

 week ; but if on straw and roots only, not above three days. In the former case he is worked two whole 

 days and two half days, and In the latter case six half days. The latter is the best plan, for which reason, 

 where oxen are regularly worked, two pairs should be kept for each ploughman. 



6919. The most desirable breeds of oxen to work are the Devonshire and Herefordshire varieties, which 

 are long-legged, quick-stepping animals. Lord Somerville, who has carrieti the working of oxen to greater 

 perfection than any one else, prefers the Devon breed, which most cultivators consider the quickest 

 walkers in England. When horned cattle are only worked occasionally, whatever sort of animals are on 

 the farm, whether bulls, cows, or oxen, of good or bad breeds, will necessarily be employed. 



6920. The food of horned cattle employed in labour must be substantial. It is a great mistake to suppose 

 they can work on straw alone. Unless they have roots added to straw in winter, and green food in summer, 

 it will be an idle attempt to harness animals so nourished. The best and indeed the only way is to feed 

 them well with straw, coarse hay, roots, green herbage, or pasturage, as the season and other circum- 

 stances may indicate. 



