Rensselaer Union, Volume 6, Number 21, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 February 1874 — Working Cattlc—Yokes and Bows. [ARTICLE]

Working Cattlc—Yokes and Bows.

With working cattle, one of the most important requisites is that they be as well housed and fed as you would horses. It is true they need not be blanketed, neither need they be fed so much concentrated food as horses, but good care and feeding pays as well with work oxen as horses. Another point for consideration is the desirability of yokes as compared with harness. While we concede the value”!)!' harness for the wagon, the yoke has so many advantages in other directions, as in logging, plowing, etc., that we think it will not be soon superseded. The proper shape, length-and construction, therefore, of the yoke is of importance. For medium-sized oxen, the whole length of the yoke should be three and one-half feet; the distance between the bow-holes inside should be twenty inches; the distance between the outside and inside bow-holes six and one-half inches. This would give as the distance from outside to outside of the bow-holes thirty-three inches, leaving four and one half inches on each side of the yoke beyond. The bows, as to length, must be proportioned to the neck of the oxen, being somewhat oval in form, the swell about one-half of the way between the bottom of the yoke and the bottom of the bows, or where Jhe ox’s shoulder’s come; the bows When formed to lie not.l ess than one and a Jialf inches thick. The staple and ring should be placed in a direct line with the holes for the bows and equi-distant bet ween the inside holes, unless one of the oxen is much the stronger, when it must be varied so that the weaker animal may have the longer end of the yoke. The proper form for a yoke cannot be described in words. The'workman must get a good model to work from. Yellow birch, beech or maple make good heavy yokes; for ordinary work, basswood (linden) is both easily worked and makes a good light yoke. If thoroughly. oiled after being made, and this be repeated occasionally, it will last indefinitely. With basswood, six inches should be allowed from outside holes to end of yoke. When a yoke is to be made for particular, animals, a good rule is t<x stand them squarely together and so that their bellies are six inches apart. Then the distance from outside to outside of the necks is the distance between the outside holes; the inside holes to be at such a distance inside ui to give free play to fbe neck

without; allowing it to twist under the yoke. The bows are made by first forking out strips of hickory or elm to the proper size, leaving a strip of bark on the outer edge; then steaming the wood thqroughly in a box made for the purpose, and then bending, while hot, round a form cut for the purpose, in a block of wood, say the stump of a tree, ami properly securing them there until set. We should never advise the farmer to make his own yokes or bows where it is possible to buy them, since they are far more perfectly made than can be done with' the tools usually at hand to the farmer or village blacksmith. Both yokes and bows are now easily procured at the agricultural stores in Our large towns and cities. There are many places, however, where yokes and bows cannot be procured, and in this case it is well to know how to make them. This can be done by any one handy with tools, having a pattern to work from. It will not be out of place in conclusion to say that in training steers they must be taught to submit quietly to be yoked and unyoked. It may take sometime and require some patience, and a judicious feeding as a reward, but the driver will be well satisfied in the end, when either steer will come at the Word to be yoked or harnessed. Another point is to make them work equally well on either side, and in this there is no trouble. A yoke of one-half or three-quarters bred Devons, that are well matched for activity, will do fully as much work at plowing, dragging and other like work as an ordinary team of horses, and are worth fully as much money; nay, more, for when unfit for work they may be fattened for the butcher .and will bring fully three-quarters of their original working value.— Rural. —Cleansing Clothes. —Dissolve Two pounds of soap in three gallons of water as hot as the hand can bear. To this add one tablespoonful of turpentine and three of aqua ammonia, the mixture to be well stirred. Soak the linen clothes ia this two or three hours, taking care to keep the boiler tightly closed. Then wash and. rinse tn the usual way. Add for the second use of the preparation, half as much turpentine and ammonia as at first. Both of these possess strong detersive qualities without any injurious effect. The smell of both will disappear by the time the Clotbeswre dry. The use of this mixture makes-rubbing on the board unnecessary and will not remove the color from calicoes.— Seto York Tribune. Hannaford & Thompson, Subscription Book Publishers, Chicago,-have in press- an ••xnaustive History of the FarmEi:-’ Move ment, by Hon. J. Periam, Editor Western Rural, one of our ablest and best known agricultural writers. Its title is The Groundswell. It will be the standard work on Granges, Clubs, etc., and is certain tn prove & great hit. Book Agents, and Farmers especially, should read the publishers’ advertisement. It is bound to sell. —lt is stated that an excellent way to purify rancid lard, is to try it over in a kettle with about one pound of raw, sliced potatoes to every five or six pounds of lard. The potatoes seem in some way to absorb whatever gives the lard an impure taste, and leave it clean and sweet. Don’t Tamper with a Cold.— Perhaps in the whole category of diseases to which humanity is susceptible, the cough is most negleeted’in its early stage. A simple cough is generally regarded as a temporary affliction — unpleasant and nothing more; but to those who have paid dearly for experience, it is the signal for attack for the most fearful of all diseases —Consumption. A cough will lead to con sum; i tioi i—if not checked—so sure as the rivulet leads to the river, yet'it js an eaayinemy to thwart, if met by the proper remedy. Aden’s Lvng Balsam is the great cough remedy of the age, and it hascarued its reputation bv merit alone. Solti by all good druggists.