376 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[OCTOEER 
its natural habits are provided. This multiple 
growth is promoted to the greatest degree by 
proper fertilization and cultivation, as well, as by 
giving the plants sufficient room to spread. The 
accompanying illustrations (figs. 1 and 2), indicate 
how this may and may not occur. At fig. 1 is 
shown a series of drills the usual distance apart, 
say 6 to 7 inches ; at fig. 2 is a series at double the 
distance. The former is supposed, to be left un~ 
Fig. 1.— WHEAT IN CLOSE DRILLS, UNCULTIVATED. 
cultivated, with the soil beaten hard by the fall rains. 
The plants, therefore, have not sufficient room 
to spread their roots as becomes strong, healthy, 
actively growing plants. But in the case repre- 
Fig. 2.— WHEAT WIDE APART AND HOED. 
sented at fig. 2, a different condition prevails. Here 
there is room for the plant to spread its surface 
roots. The soil being opened by the cultivator, is 
aerated and warmed ; the young roots soon occupy 
it, and the new plants quickly cover the feeding 
ground thus provided. The drills then appear as 
in the engraving, and early in spring a vigorous 
growth hides the spaces between; while in the form- | 
er case, open ground may be seen for a long time. | 
There are two ways iti which we must improve 
agriculture; one is by making labor more effective, 
and to cover more ground by the use of the best 
methods; and the other is by increasing the yield 
■of crops. By cultivating small grains, as we do 
■corn and roots, we effect both of these desired ends, 
so far as the mentioned crops are concerned, at least. 
Marking the Horns of Cattle. 
A correspondent who pastures cattle for other 
persons, wants a method of marking to easily dis¬ 
tinguish those of differ¬ 
ent proprietors. Steel 
implements are easily 
procured having the 
initial letters of the 
owner’s name on one 
end. These, heated and 
pressed on the horns 
near their ends, give no 
pain, and leave perma¬ 
nent marks, which may 
be scraped or filed off 
if ownership changes. 
The accompanying il¬ 
lustration shows how to mark the horns both 
•"with the marking iron and with a common coarse 
file. With a file one can make any letter or symbol 
consisting of straight lines, as V, A, W, N, M, etc. 
A coarse mill-saw file, or a blacksmith’s rasp may be 
used for a large number of different marks, and in 
most cases will bn the only instrument required. 
Making Ox-Yokes and Bows. 
- 
Ox-yokes may be of different patterns and styles, 
but they must be made upon a certain fixed princi¬ 
ple, or they will be unsatisfactory in use. An ill- 
fitting yoke hurts the ox, either by pressing severe¬ 
ly upon and galling the shoulders or neck, or by 
rising upon the neck and drawing up the bows, 
tending to choke him. Thus an innocent animal, 
though patient and willing, is often unable to work, 
and is esteemed lazy and stupid—is subjected to 
ill-treatment and abuse, with loss of temper by the 
owner.—The chief points to be considered in mak¬ 
ing ox-yokes, are strength and lightness of ma¬ 
terial ; length, and the proper thickness consistent 
with sufficient strength; form and position of the 
bow-holes, with reference to the proper distance 
between tbe oxen ; the size of the bows, aud the 
position aud form of the hollow resting on the neck. 
The timber should not readily split; should 
work easy, and yet be light and strong. Bass¬ 
wood (Liuden) has these qualities in a high degree. 
The next to be chosen is soft maple or butternut; 
after these, are cherry and walnut. The piece of 
timber for the yoke should be sawed 5 feet long, 10 
inches wide, and C or 7 inches thick. In laying out 
the pattern, the line of draft is even with the eye 
of the bolt holding the ring, as the draft is from 
that point. The center of the pressure of the 
animal’s neck must fall 
exactly upon this line, 
or the yoke is forced to 
turn up or down, as the 
draft may be below or 
above this axial line. If 
the draft center is above 
it. the bows press un¬ 
duly upon the throat; 
if below, the yoke slips 
back and chafes the 
neck, even if it does not 
choke by drawing the 
bow up against the 
throat. The hollow for 
the neck should not be 
above or below the curve 
or arc of a circle,the cen¬ 
ter of which falls upon 
the draft line,and which 
arc or curve touches the 
lines of the bow-holes. This is shown at figure 1, 
where dotted circles are seen below a, a, tbe centers 
of which fall upon the dotted line passing through 
the eye of the draft ring, this representing the line 
of draft. The lines passing through the centers of 
these circles at a, a, will be the point from which 
the places for the bow holes are measured. (See 
a, a; also in fig. 2.) To get these points, cut a 
piece of board into the form of the diagram—5 feet 
long and 10 inches broad—aud divide it into four 
equal parts by the lines a, b, a, figures 1 and 2. The 
center line, 6, is the place for the draft ring, 
fastened by a clamp (fig. 7), as described below. 
Fig. 1.—MAKING OX-YOKE PATTERN. 
The top of the yoke is laid out as in figure 2. The 
bow holes placed at equal distances on each side of 
the point, a, are bored with a 2-ineh auger from 
Fig.2. PROPER FORM OF YOKE, HORIZONTAL SECTION. 
each side, meeting in the center of the timber, so 
as to get them straight; they are smoothed out 
Fig. 3. 
Fig. 4. 
afterwards with a red-hot iron. For drawing a 
wagon, put the bow-holes nearer the center of the 
yoke than for plowing ; and they may¬ 
be changed—of course changing the 
center lines, a, a, and the neck curve, 
at the same time—to suit large oxen. 
For general use, the following sizes 
will be found about right: 10 inches 
between the bow-boles, and 20 inches 
between the two inside ones. For 
larger oxen, the lines, a, a, may be 
moved 2 to 4 inches nearer the ends, 
leaving the bow-holes 12 inches apart 
and 24 inches between the bows. The 
sides of the yoke are then hewed out, as seen at 
figure 2 ; the bevels on the edges are rounded off: 
the hollows between the bows 
are sloped to give an easy fit, 
and all sand-papered perfectly 
smooth. The yoke should then 
be well seasoned under cover, 
aud coated with linseed oil or 
crude petroleum. The bows 
should be of good hickory, or 
second growth white oak, or 
white ash ; 27 to 30 inches in 
length, and 2 iuebes in diameter 
before being finally dressed. 
Soak the roughly dressed timber 
thoroughly in cold water for 
two weeks ; then steam, or soak in hot water, until 
pliable. Bend into shape, as at figure 3, by the 
frame shown at figures 4 aud 5, It is a 4-inch plank 
24 inches long 
and 16 inches 
wide, fitted with 
a number of boles 
and pins. For 
couvenieuce, it 
may be mounted 
on four legs or pegs, of any length desired. Bend the 
prepared timber around the three lower pins, b, and 
if not yet safe to bend it completely, leave it half 
bent, by putting in the pins, a, a, for a day to give 
it a set. The bent portion is 
then soaked or steeped in hot 
water until it can be safely 
brought up to the required 
form, when it is confined by 
the other pins and is left to dry 
and stiffen. By making the 
pins long enough, as seeu at 
figure 5, several hows may be bent at the same 
time. When the bows are taken from the frame, 
the tops should be tied together, to keep them 
from losing their shape, until 
put into the yokes. Cut the key 
holes in the bows, as indicated at 
figure 6. To fit larger oxen, a 
second key hole may be made, 
two inches above the other one, 
or better in the other arm of the 
bow, so as not to weaken the first 
one. The key, made of iron, is 
shown at figure 6. It is flat, and 
when put in and turned half 
round it can not work out. The 
ring is attached by a broad iron 
strap clamping the yoke at the 
center, with screws and nuts at 
the ends. A plate of iron covers 
the top of the yoke, and is held 
by the screws and nuts of the 
strap ; and two pieces of iron, 
which may be cast, and which 
fit 'together over the ring, are held by the strap 
and by a socket 1 inch deep cut into the ■ yoke. 
The whole is clearly illustrated at figure 7. 
Fig. 5.— BENDING THE BOWS. 
Fig.6.KEY FOR BOW. 
Fig. 7.— STRAP 
AND RING. 
TThe Cost of Pennsylvania Crops has been 
investigated by Secretary Edge of the State Board 
of Agriculture. Circulars were sent to 200 practi¬ 
cal farmers, asking the cost per bushel of the lead¬ 
ing crops. The average result was as follows:— 
Wheat, 81.7 cts.; rye, 63.3 ; barley, 49 ; oats, 25.3; 
corn, 44.6 ; potatoes, 24.8. This includes interest, 
taxes, manure, labor, etc., and is the total cost. 
