Page:Willich, A. F. M. - The Domestic Encyclopædia (Vol. 2, 1802).djvu/515

483&#93; HOR the vicinity of Woodbridge, Suf- folk, has long been celebrated. The former are chiefly used by those farmers who are in the habit of pur- chasing tu-o-y car-old colls, which they work lightly lor two or three years, and then sell them tor coach- horses. This practice merits se ere reprehension ; for, independently of the great risk in keepi )g valu- able horses during the most critical period of their age, such precaution is necessarily attended with addi- tional expence. The York and Northampton breeds, however, are reputed to be much inferior to the Suffolk punch soiels, whic ■ are ad- mitted to be the best cart-horses in England, These are of a bright sorel colour ; have very low fore- hands, large bodies, somewhat si- milar to those of cows, short legs, and ill-shaped heads ; yet, though their appearance be thus aukward, they exceed every ot cr breed in draught. These animals arc of all sizes ; but the smaller ones, 14| hands high (the price of which is from 40l. to 50l. per pair), will be of great service. The long-contested question, vhether oxen or horses are pre- ferable for agricultural purposes, we shall not venture to decide ; though it will be useful fairly to appreciate the advantages, as well as the disadvantages, which attend the maintenance of either. Oxen will draw the plough on tough clay soils and hiily lands, while horses stand still ; but, on even and light ground, the latter not only work taster than oxen, but are incomparably more aclive for carriage. It deserves, how- ever, to be remarked, that oxen may be maintained at a very small expence. The price of two horses is computed to be equivalent to H O R [ 4 8 5 that of nine oxen : the food of the 1 itter, during summer, corisisti y of grass, and in winter <>£ straw, on which provender thry may perform moderate labour ; and, when worked hard, th y are allowed a Little hay. Oil the con- trary, the food of a I rally is hay, oats, beans, &:c. The num- ber of cart-horses constantly em- ployed in Great Britain, is calcu- lated at 500,000, — 300.000 of which are allowed, by the most competent judges, to be superflu- ous. These consume daily, upon an average, during nine months in the year, one peck oi' corn each j which amounts to sixty-three bu- shels each per annum ; that is, (allowing one quartern loaf per week to every person, and com- puting only 12 loaves to the bu- shel) as much corn as will support seven persons ; so that 300,000 superfluous cart-horses, moderately f. d, require for their support a quantity of corn sufficient to main- tain 2,100,000 ierx.ii>! which number, it the inhabitants of Great Britain amount to ten n illions, is nearly one fourth part of the whole population. To invalidate this statement, it has been objected, that though oxen mat/ be maintained at a less expence than horses, yet the latter are lar preferable, as they perform their work with much r ater ala- crity ; and that the extra plot ghing which a pair of ' horses will accom- plish in one week, will luily pay the balance of keeping. Sue is the difference ot opinions, in the communication of which we have strictly adhered to tacts ; yet it ought in justice to be added, that an ox improves in value 2l. per an- num, upon an average, from the time he is used and fed as an wj I i 2 and