No. 133.] 79 



Report ou <Jic large Oxen, owned by G. F. Hastings. 



The committee appointed by tlie American Institute, at the 

 request of Mr. G. F. Hastings, to examine a yoke of oxen of ex- 

 traordinary size, belonging to him, and now in the city of New 

 York, submit the following report : 



That in discharging the duty assigned them, they have exam- 

 ined with care the oxen alluded to, and find them in regard to 

 size, flesh and symmetry of form, truly of an extraordinary charac- 

 ter. Various testimonials emanating from creditable sources, 

 were also submitted to your committee, among which were the 

 proceedings of the Rensselaer co. Agricultural society, the pro- 

 ceedings of the supervisors of Rensselaer co. at Troy, and also of 

 the farmers and stock raisers of Washington co., together with 

 testimonials from gentlemen of undoubted character, speaking of 

 them in the highest terms of praise. 



The oxen were bred in Hoosick, Rensselaer co. by Mr. Wm. M. 

 Paddock, were worked and fattened by Mr. John Lee ot Washing- 

 ton CO., and are now owned by Mr. G. F. Hastings of the town of 

 Jackson, Washington co. Their dams were sisters, they were 

 both dropped on the same day, in the same yard, grew and work- 

 ed together until they were five and a half years old, and were 

 seven years old in the spring of 1852. Their treatment while 

 worked was of the usual kind ; since which they have been fed 

 on corn ground with the cob, hay, roots, and occasionally for a 

 change on oats and corn ground together. They have uniformly 

 been in good health, and are now growing and fattening as rapid- 

 ly as can be expected for cattle of their age. It is the opinion ot 

 persons competent to judge, that they are now capable of improv- 

 ing largely in their weight. 



Mr. Hastings states to us that they have not been weighed since 

 they were four and a half years old, at which time they weigh- 

 ed between fifty and fifty five hundred pounds, and were then 

 in nothing more than common working order. The reason given 



