132 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER 



OCT. 35, 18 48, 



For ihe N. E. Fanner. 



WHAT IS THE BEST MODE OF HARNESS- 

 ING OXEN? 

 Mr Brkck — In your paper of last week, there 

 is an article taken from the "Mississippi Valley 

 Farmer," on the '' Value of Oxen," which I have 

 read with great pleasure. I find in tliat article the 

 following paragraph: 



" The value of the ox for lahor is much increas- 

 ed hy substituting the collar and traces for the com- 

 mon wooden yoke and bows. The horse collar 

 reversed, or turned the bottom up, makes an exact 

 til for the neck of the ox, if it be made of a suita- 

 ble size. VVe have been assured by those who 

 have adopted this method of gearing, that it has 

 with them a decided preference over the common 

 method. The following are some of the advanta- 

 ges : Whether the oxen bo geared singly or in 

 pairs, they travel with more ease to themselves ; 

 and there is consequently an increase of speed in 

 travelling ; there is less liability to chafe and gall, 

 and what many would consider the most importani 

 advantage, there is an addition to tho strength of 

 draft of at least ten per cent." 



I have often wondered when seeing the patient 

 ox with his head bowed down, and his neck over- 

 loaded with a heavy yoke, why this barbarous and 

 inconvenient mode of gearing him was kept up — 

 the most awkward and ungainly mode of tackling, 

 if it may be so called, in the whole economy of 

 farming. 



It seems that gearing with a collar has the ad- 

 vantages mentioned by the intelligent editor of the 

 Farmer, and it strikes me there are others that he 

 lias not mentioned : they are, that the collar allows 

 more perfect freedom for the head, and therefore 

 there must be greater ease in travelling. The 

 collar, too, spreads the draft over a greater surface, 

 and brings the draft in the right place ; and if the 

 gearing has also breeching' straps behind, the load 

 is prevented from comingion the heels of the cat- 

 tle in going down hill. 



I wish some one of yonr intelligent and observ- 

 ing correspondents would enlighten us on this 

 subject, and if possible give us the results of their 

 experiments. I believe a better, safer, more com- 

 fortable, more convenient, and in the long run, 

 cheaper mode, could be devised, for tackling this 

 useful animal. Many a time when he is goaded 

 along and vexed with vituperation, he is suffering 

 from a chafed neck, rendered callous almost by 

 the constant action of the heavy yoke, but not so cal- 

 lous as not to be galling and oppressive to his neck. 



If this mode, too, will allow of working him 

 singly, and his gait can be improved, so that he 

 will walk faster, and release his head from the 

 pounds of wood he carries, (and I think such im- 

 provement can be made,) why not adopt it ? 



Why will not some agriculturist who has a good 

 yoke or two of oxen, try the experiment? Why 

 will not others start in this matter ? What are 

 the objections to the collar for oxen ? What are 

 the advantages of the old mode, or rather present 

 mode of attaching him to his load ? Why should 

 it be persisted in? Will some of your correspon- 

 dents, 1 ask again, enlighten us on this subject? 

 Yours, truly, A CULTIVATOR. 



Remarks bi/ the Edilnr. — The customs and usa- 

 ges of the fathers, in relation to the modes of ope- 

 ration in farming, have been followed by the chil- 

 dren with as much obstinacy as though their usages 



and opinions were infallible and could not be im- 

 proved upon, and to doubt the soundness of their 

 views, would be denounced almost as heresy ; but 

 it is gratifying to know that a spirit of inquiry is 

 abroad, and that not only the children but the fath- 

 ers, are beginning to look around and inquire, how 

 cm we improve upon the past nnd the present mode 

 of cultivation ? How can we add to the comfort, 

 and increase the profit, and improve the beauty of 

 our animals? &c. " A Cultivator" has made some 

 interesting inquiries, which we hope some one who 

 has experience in the management of oxen, will 

 oHswer. We have often been inclmed to believe 

 that an easier mode of drawing than by the wood- 

 en yoke, might be adopted, but as we have had but 

 little experience in this matter, it does not become 

 us to Fuggest the improvement. It would be rath- 

 er hard, we think, to bring into general use any 

 other fashion than the yoke, even though it should 

 be proved that the collar was the best; — but will 

 not some one make the experiment of the collar, 

 as well as answer the inquiries of " A Cultivator." 



MASS. HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



EXBIBITION OK FLOWERS. 



Saturday, Oct. 14, J843. 



Some very fine stands of Dahlias were exhibited 

 today. From the President of the Society, Wid- 

 nalTs Queen, Oakley's Surprise, Dodd's Mary, Es- 

 sex Triumph, Pickwick — all fine. The specimen 

 of VVidnall's Queen was one of the most perfect 

 shown for the season. 



Mr J. Stickney had a noble stand of upwards of 

 JOO blooms, of all the choice varieties, with not an 

 ordinary flower among them. 



Mr J. F. Trull had good specimens of Eva, Ne 

 Plus Ultra, Constantia, &c. 



H. VV. Button exhibited 70 blooms, among them 

 Burnham Hero, Hope, Queen, Oakley's Surprise, 

 Essex Triumph, &.C., which were fine. 



From J. L. L. F. Warren, Dahlias, and 12 showy 

 and fine bouquets. 



From Messrs. Winship, a largo bouquet. 



From Win. Kenrick, eight bouquets of Roses, 

 Verbenas, iSic. 



There were some other cut flowers and Dahlias, 

 to which no names were attached. 

 For the Committee, 



H. W. DUTTON. 



EXHIBITION op FRUITS. 



From J. Tillson, S. Boston ; fine Isabella and 

 Catawba Grapes. 



From E. Vose, excellent Marie Louise Pears. 



From Mr Merrill, Roxbury ; Duchess d' Angou- 

 leme Pears. 



From Dr. Z. B. Adams, superior specimens o( 

 St. Michael and St. Germain Pears. 



From Mr Oliver, Brookline ; fine specimens of 

 St. Michael Pears, and Apples from Saratoga coun- 

 ty. New York. 



From S. Phipps, several vars. of Apples, and 20 

 dishes of Pears. Among the latter were noticed 

 the Seckel, Healhcote, Duchess d' Angouleine, 

 -Martin Sec, Easier Heurre, Urbaniste, Dix, St. Mi- 

 chael, Roi de Wirtcmburg, &c. 



Superb Isabella Grapes, and St. Michael Pears, 

 from Mr Henry Plynipton. 



From Hon. D. Adams, Newbury ; a dish of fine 

 Lewis Pears. 



From Geo. Walsh, a small French Grape for a 

 name; St. Michael Pears, and Pears for name. 



From Kendall Bailey, Isabella, Sweetwater an 

 Catawba Grapes, good ; Peaches and Quinces. 



From S. Pond, Williams's Bon Chretien Pesrsi 



From John Arnold, fine Black Hamburg Grapesi 



From S. Gray, Great lieurre Pear. 



From J. F. Trull, two dishes of superior Orangi 

 Quinces, some of which weighed 14 oz. ; beautifu 

 late Seedling Peaches; Catillac (?) Pears, weigh 

 ing 10 oz. each. 



From II. Vandine, Blue Imperatrice and Coe'i 

 Golden Drop Plums, very fine. Flemish Beauty 

 .Marie Louise, Beurro Spence, St. Michael, Nft« 

 Long Rosewater, Heathcote, and Prince's St. Ger 

 main Pears. Malacatune and a la-.e Peach, an( 

 Apples for name. 



From John Howland, New Bedford ; three spe 

 cimens Seedling Pears, viz: No. 1, frcn the gar 

 den of Jos. H. Allen, promises well. No. 3, fron 

 the garden of the late Paul Barney, also of goo( 

 promise. The above two varieties, the committet 

 consider worthy of cultivation. No. 2, not yet aii 

 maturity. 



A dish of fragrant monthly Alpine Strawberries 

 from J. Bacon, Marine Hospital, Chelsea. 



C. H. Eldredge, Esq., exhibited a Gross Mig 

 nonne Peach tree, taken from his nursery in Brigh 

 ton, this morning. It was about 7 feet high, am 

 over three inches in circumference at the larges 

 part. It was budded, and has made its wholt 

 growth the present season. 



Dr. Jerome V. C. Smith, exhibited three boxen 

 of pure Honey in the comb, weighing 43 pounds 

 the produce of one swarm of bees, in the 4th stor) 

 of his house in Bowdoin Square, all ol which has 

 been deposited by them since June last, leaving 

 nearly as much more in the hive and boxes, foi 

 their winter supply of food. 



For the Committee, J. LOVETT, 2d. 



Vegetables. — A Cauliflower was exhibited by 

 Capt. Lovett, of Beverly, exceeding any thing ever 

 shown at the Hall, measuring twentijone inches in 

 diameter, and weighing 10 1-4 pounds. Also, two 

 boxes of Lima Beans, fully equal to any ever 

 shown in the Hall. 



For tho Committee, JNO. A. KENRICK. 



Curious Agricultural Experiment. — The follow, 

 ing novel and interesting experiment has lately 

 been made by Mr A. Palmer, of Cheain, Surrey : 

 In July, 1842, he put one grain of wheat into a 

 common garden pot. In August, the same was 

 divided into 4 plants, which in three weeks were 

 again divided into 12 plants. In September, these 

 12 plants were divided into 32, which in November 

 were divided into 50, and then placed in open 

 ground. In July, 1843, 12 of the plants failed, but 

 the remaining 38 were healthy. On the 19th of 

 August they were cut down, and counted 1972 

 steins, with an average of ■'vO grains to a stem, gi?- 1 

 ing an increase of 98,()00! Now if this be a prac-i 

 ticable measure of planting wheat, it follows that 

 most of the grain now used for seed may be saved, 

 and will infinitely more than cover the extra ex- 

 pense of sowing, as the wheat plants can be raised 

 by the laborer in his garden, his wife and children 

 being employed in dividing and transplanting them. 

 One of the stems has been sent to us as a sample, 

 which is rather more than six feet long, and stout 

 in proportion — London paper. 



The Fair of the American Institute, at N. York, 

 is said to have been superior to any former one. 



