CHAPTEE XXXIII. 



MANAGEMENT OP TEAMS ON THE FARM AND ON THE ROAD. 



Don't rush in the morning — Good vs. poor teamsters — Noon feed — Groom 

 properly — Blankets, etc. 



FAEM TEAMS. 



DON'T rush the teams in the morning or after a long rest ; 

 warm them up gradually if you would get the most out 

 of them, and give them the least necessary fatigue. When 

 plowing, the first round or two in the morning should be made 

 as easy as possible ; and if the plowing is hard on the team, as, 

 for instance, heavy clay land, when they are obliged to pull 

 quite hard all the time, — it should frequently be stopped for 

 just a little while and not allowed to get over-heated, exhausted, 

 or discouraged. 



I have had many farm-hands and teamsters (?) to work for 

 me, and nearly as many different kinds as numbers. For in- 

 stance, I have had a man who would take a team in the morn- 

 ing fresh from the stable and in my toughest plowing in Indi- 

 ana clay soil, would do a good forenoon's work and bring his 

 team in at noon in good shape to water and feed. You would 

 seldom hear this man speak to his team, and never hear him 

 yell or scold at them ; he would do a good spring's work and 

 keep his team in excellent order all through. Look to the 

 field whenever you would, you might invariably see his team 

 moving quietly and steadily along. He made frequent stops, 

 however, but of very short duration ; always when he stopped 

 he backed the team a step and usually raised their collars to 

 give air and to see that all was right. 



I have had other plowmen and teamsters who, when working 

 their teams, would bawl and swear at their teams until they 



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