ESSAY. ' **& 



in" was often necessary, and yet few oxen of that day 

 were capable of doing it. In the majority of cases 

 where such a maneuver became necessary the oxen were 

 taken off the " spear" or tongue and brought " right 

 about face," to push or shove the load in. This is always 

 a difficult operation, requiring considerable time, and 

 one can readily perceive the economy of discipline, 

 which enables the farmer to back any load his cattle 

 are able to draw. But the advantages of discipline in 

 draft are not less apparent, whether in cases where 

 " a long pull, a strong pull, and a pull altogether" is 

 requisite, or where an ox's entire strength is needed for 

 a single spring or lift, (as in turning a large stone,) the 

 superiority of the trained ox is so marked as to impress 

 every impartial and unprejudiced witness. With such 

 there is no " baulking" — the common causes of it being 

 removed. Cattle properly mated will generally pull 

 together, and generally all they can, if their driver so 

 signifies ; and though his judgment may be at fault, it 

 is very seldom, indeed, that they would get abused, or 

 be required to pull a third time. With mis-mated cattle 

 it often happens that one is spirited and ambitious, 

 while the other is " slow moulded" and easily discour- 

 aged in a bad place. Such a pair in the hands of a 

 hasty -tempered, injudicious man soon becomes worthless 

 for most kinds of labor. The energetic, " high strung" 

 ox after a time gets discouraged from having to receive 

 much of the whipping which his mate deserves, and 

 much ill-treatment which neither of them deserves. 

 But perhaps the most marked distinction between 

 trained and untrained oxen is observable upon the road. 

 Speed and endurance are qualities valued in cattle 

 designed for hauling and " holding back " upon New 



