ESSAY. Z " J 



Much of tho mal-trcatment to which Domestic Animals 

 are subject, is owing to ignorance of the true conditions 

 of successful management ; but I propose to urge the 

 discipline of animals solely on the score of economy, 

 leaving out of view, for the present, the moral aspect of 

 the case. Pecuniary profit we suppose to be the farmer's 

 object in the breeding and rearing of animals. Let us 

 see ; a man breeds and rears a pair of steers for ordin- 

 ary farm work. Other things being equal, a pair "trained 

 up in the way they should go " would not attain greater 

 size than if left in natural and lawless freedom ; but 

 symmetrical development and ease of management 

 being desiderata with New England teamsters, early and 

 judicious training becomes a pecuniary consideration. 



The sine qua non of successful ox-training involves 

 the following conditions: 1st, Likeness of temperament 

 and disposition ; and 2d, Equality of size, strength, and 

 age. These conditions are placed in the order of their 

 importance. Many, a poor beast is made to suffer a 

 kind of martyrdom from being " unequally yoked" by 

 his ignorant master. And, as a teamster of some 

 experience, I feel warranted in affirming my belief that 

 no small number of our class become martyrs to the 

 ignorance above mentioned. The hired teamster being 

 required to perform a certain amount of work he is not 

 at liberty to correct any vices or defects in the team 

 given him, but must worry through his time, often under 

 the most trying circumstances. " It is hard learning 

 old dogs new tricks," and none are more likely to ap- 

 preciate the significance of this proverb than teamsters 

 placed in situations where they have to deal with ill-bred, 

 mis-matched, and vicious animals. Where the standard 

 of " education " is unworthily low, people are wont to 



