I£)S

OX THE LIVE-STOCK

According to the plan of the County Reports, it wouldnow be necessary to institute a comparison between thelabour performed by horses and by oxen. But in none ofthese reports are there any correct data upon which tofound such comparison. A few oxen are indeed employedin ploughing in several of the eastern counties to the north ofthe Frith of Forth, but the number has uniformly diminish-ed in proportion to the progress of improvement, and the esta-blishment of the most approved rotations of convertible hus-bandry. The labours of agriculture are not now, as in formertimes, irregular and desultory; it is no longer necessary tokeep oxen to an advanced age before they can be fattened,as cultivated grasses and turnips enable the farmer to bringthem to greater perfection at three, or at most at four yearsold, than by the old management at six or eight. The in-troduction of the Leicester sheep, as a suitable stock for thepastures of arable land, has in a considerable degree super-seded the breeding of cattle in the south-eastern counties,which can be always supplied in abundance from the High-lands ; the cattle of which, though too small for labour, areextremely well adapted for fattening on their pastures, andproduce beef of a quality greatly superior to that of largeoxen.

Cattle so strong as to be fit for labour, must evidently liereared on good land. The north-eastern counties at one timefurnished a considerable number to the farmers of thesouthern counties; but the -farmers of the former counties,would require a very high price to indemnify them, at thepresent time, for affording such a supply ; and the price wouldof necessity be greatly enhanced by the competition of the gra-zier and butcher on the one hand, and of the tillage farmeron the other. If oxen were generally worked, it would there-fore be necessary to employ a considerable proportion ofthe best arable land for breeding and rearing them, and fortheir maintenance afterwards when put to work,—probablydouble the extent of land at present required for providing(bod for horses must be appropriated to these purposes.