Farming of Cornwall. 
457 
nearly altoo:ether confined to the farm — and tlieir employment 
there too is gradually decreasing ; for although the monotonous 
chaunt of the plough-boy may still be heard on hill and valley, 
it is quite as common to see the plough worked by the plough- 
man and a pair of horses, without a driver. This suljject was 
discussed at the ' Probus Farmers' Club/ a short time since, and 
the resolution come to on that occasion will embody the present 
practice on the best managed farms where working-oxen are 
kept : — " That for the f/eneral purposes of hushanclnj, horses were 
preferable to oxen ; but that a few pairs of working -oxen on a farm 
proved extremely useful during the busy seasons, and tchen no longer 
icanted should he fattened.'' The farming operations in Cornwall 
are very liable to be interrupted through the changeableness of 
our climate, both at seed-time and harvest, so that unusual efforts 
are oftentimes necessary, and then the ox proves a valuable auxili- 
ary to the horse. The following calculations were made by the 
club, which caused them to arrive at the above resolutions: — " In 
harrowing or rolling, a pair of horses will do 8 acres a day, whilst 
four oxen will scarcely perform more than 6 acres. In plough- 
ing, a pair of horses will do an acre a day (customary acre*), whilst 
four oxen will scarcely accomplish more than ^ths of an acre. In 
carting on the farm only, and that on very hilly ones, four good 
oxen may be fairly considered equal to a pair of horses. A pair 
of horses will require a man only to attend them, but four oxen 
will require the assistance of a boy during four months in the 
year." The prices for harness, gear, shoeing, and farriery are 
based on the amount paid usually under the different heads. The 
ordinary keep for a pair of horses is chai'ged at Qs. per week each 
for the summer months, and 7s. per week for the winter months 
(see Mr. Doble's method of feeding, 81). The usual method 
of feeding working-oxen is straw and roots in the winter, and grass 
in the summer, with an occasional allowance of corn during the 
busy seasons, either pasturing or soiling. The following are the 
total expenses incurred in working a pair of horses, valued at 40Z. 
at three years old, for nine years, and selling them with a loss at 
that period ; also the expenses incurred in working three teams of 
oxen successively during the same time, and selling each team 
with a profit after three years' work. 
* One hundred acres statute are 84a. Or. 4p. customary. The want of 
general unilbrmity in " measures ' in Cornwall is so great, that those used 
in the eastern parts of the county are not known in the western parts. 
Thus in some places corn is measured by the Winchester — 8 gallons to 
the bushel. In the neighbourhood of Liskeard and Launcesfon the double 
Winchester — 16 gallons — is used for a bushel ; and throughout the whole 
of the western division the treble Winchester — 24 gallons— is employed. 
