380 TRANSACTIONS OP THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 



paid well to cover marshes with sand at a cost of several hundred dollars 

 per acre, for the purpose of growing cranberries. Some of the small mar- 

 shes of Michigan might be covered and planted with the same fruit, but 

 there are many marshes in that State which will not be drained or culti- 

 vated in this generation. The reason is simply it wouldn't pay. 



Oxen versus Horses. 



The same correspondent Avrites: " Also, in reply to R. G. Belle, Le Prays- 

 ville, Ind., inquiring whether oxen are successfully worked in harness like 

 horses, I can say that in Scotland tliey are so worked, and as the yoke 

 was altogether laid aside before my day, I have heard the old men say 

 that oxen could not do half as much in the yoke as they now do in harness, 

 and as the yoke was never used — in fact it was almost forgotten, as I 

 never saw one till I came to this country nine years ago. A pair of oxen 

 were about equal to a pair of horses for plowing where the soil was hard 

 to plow. The harness was the same as for horses, except that the traces 

 were fastened to the harness several inches above where they are on horses, 

 and an iron halter with a leather headstall in place of a bridle. I have 

 often seen a horse and an ox hitched together to the plow." 



Mr. Solon Robinson. — We have had this question under discussion here 

 several times before this, and I hope it will continue to be discussed by all 

 farmers. I do not think they have a more important question, not only in 

 regard to the economy of working oxen or horses, but as to the modes of 

 harnessing them. In this connection I desire to read an excellent article, 

 which I find over the signature of Robert Mansfield, in The MaasachuHells 

 Ploughrnan : 



" I am surprised that so few oxen are used on the farm. One small 

 school district where 40 years ago, from 12 to 15 oxen were kept, can now 

 produce but one. The same land is thought to be cultivated, but how is 

 it done ? Two horses to plow sward land, one to plow old ground. Two 

 good horses, with a modern plow, will break up grass land perhaps, as 

 well as ordinary oxen, but the cost is nearly double. Two horses are 

 worth from $200 to $300, the harness $40 or $50. The keeping of the 

 horses is almost double that of oxen; then there are many days when the 

 team has to be idle. Horses are a total loss, but oxen will always be 

 gaining in flesh. Feed for horses should be compounded from the best of 

 bay and meal, but oxen work and grow fat on poor haj'- and meal. Corn 

 stover and millet are liked by oxen, but will not agree wnth horses. There 

 is but one place on the farm where horses are better than oxen — I'm think- 

 ing — and that is doubtful. That is to haul the crop of hay to the barn. 



" The light work on the farm, such as harrowing Out and plowing 

 among the hoed crops, can be done with much less expense with oxen than 

 a horse. It will require some training to make them handy, but it can be 

 all done while performing necessary labor. A yoke of oxen can be trained 

 for this light farm labor, in one-tenth part of the time it takes to train a 

 horse. A yoke of oxen will make one-quarter more furrows in a given 

 time, of this light plowing, than a horse can. If you have a young oi'chard 

 which you wish to plow, it can be done with more safety by oxen than 

 horses. The whiflfletree is the agent that retards the progress of the horse 

 in turning; it is also in such close proximity to every tree that it is at- 



