Faitning of Oxfordshire. 
239 
crawling over three quarters of an acre in the day — while on 
the other side of the hedge two horses are ploughing their acre 
with ease. When farmers are asked why they hang four or five 
horses to a plough, they say the land is so stiff, it requires great 
strength to pull it up, that there is a colt or two in the team 
Avhich must be exercised, and as the land can only be worked 
in dry weather, a large amount of horse-flesh must be kept to 
help through the busy season. On stiff soils it is desirable not 
to tread the land, and horses should walk in the furrow, but 
when the ground is perfectly dry there can be no reason why 
the horses should not be yoked doubled, so as to make the most 
of the strength. To lay down a rule to suit all soils and all 
seasons is impossible ; but there is, doubtless, a wasteful expen- 
diture of horse-power in this county. It is usual to plough 
most soils shallow. The stone-brash is seldom stirred more 
than three or four inches deep, while much deeper ploughing 
might be given, and so render the soil less liable to burn ; and 
clay-lands, when intended for fallow, should receive a very deep 
furrow for the winter's plough. Nothing pays better than breed- 
ing good cart colts. A very excellent farmer always rears 
enough to supply his cart-stable, and sells all his horses at 
7 years old. He thus has 4 years work out of them, and is never 
encumbered with old and useless horses. 
On the Cotswold hills, and in other parts of the county, many 
oxen are worked, principally Herefords. The general rule is to 
break them in at two or three years old, and work them two 
years. They are then sold to the Buckingham graziers, and 
Banbury market is always well supplied with laige worked 
cattle. Three or four oxen go in a plough and work like the 
horses, from seven to three o'clock. On a farm on the stone- 
brash, of 400 acies, it is usual to keep two teams of working 
bullocks. The advocates of oxen and the friends of horses are 
constantly drawing invidious comparisons between these useful 
animals as beasts of draught. There can be no doubt that on 
large light-land farms, and even on heavy arable land, a bullock 
team or two is very useful ; but to expect that oxen will supersede 
horses is ridiculous. Oxen require less attention, and can be 
fed at less expense ; are subject to less risk, and employ less 
capital than horses ; but as to their growing into money while 
horses grow out, to such an assertion there is the obvious reply, 
that if horses were bought at three years old and sold at six, 
they would often pay as much per head as the oxen. 
A very great improvement is still required in the manage- 
ment of farmyard manures. The manure in Oxfordshire is 
mostly made by horses, sheep, and pigs. Fat cattle have not 
half so much to do with its manufacture as in other counties 
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