Privet dropped a b. c. Sept. 28, 1876, and again a b. c. Aug. 3, 1877.

Lizzie Burke dropped a b. c. Feb. 23, 1877.

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I enter for premium for one year old and upwards, never calved, Ayrshires, my Heifers Mary Brand and Roxanna 4th. Mary Brand, 3662, calved December 12, 1875. Dam, Alice Brand, 833, imported; Sire, Fitz James, 550.

Roxanna 4th, calved April 12, 1876. Dam, Roxanna, 1816. Sire, Fitz James, 550.

Both Heifers bred by exhibitor.

I enter for premium for Heifer Calves, Ayrshires, four Calves bred by me :

"Sarah Brand," calved Nov. 22, 1876. Dam, Alice Brand, 833, imported; Sire, Fitz James, 550.

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Sophora Douglas," calved Jan. 5, 1877. Dam, Sophie Douglas, 2d, 3205; Sire, Fitz James, 550.

"Lilac Douglas, 2d," calved April 17, 1877. Dam, Lilac Douglas, 2721; Sire, Fitz James, 550.

"Roxanna 5th," calved May 27, 1877. Dam, Roxanna, 1816; Sire, Fitz James, 550.

WORKING OXEN, BULLS AND STEERS.

The Committee award as follows:

:

To George A. Butters, Methuen, for Working Oxen, first premium, $15.

To B. H. Farnham, North Andover, second premium, $12. To Moses A. Bailey, Andover, third premium, $10.

To George F. Mason, Andover, Working Steers, first premium, $10.

To John P. Foster, North Andover, second premium, $6. To W. A. Russell, Lawrence, Working Bulls, first premi$15.

um,

Committee-Jos. Kittredge, J. M. Titcomb, Dudley Brad

street.

TOWN TEAMS.

The Committee on Town Teams respectfully submit the following report :—

There were three town teams of horses and four of oxen entered for premium, as follows: From Lawrence, four pairs of oxen; North Andover, eight pairs of oxen and eleven pairs of horses; Andover, nineteen pairs of oxen and three pairs of horses; Methuen, twelve pairs of oxen and four pairs of horses. The quality of nearly all the stock was so excellent, that it was not easy to make the award of premiums. Having regard, however, partly to number in the team, and partly to quality of the cattle, the Committee recommend the following awards :

For Horse Teams-To North Andover, first premium of $30.00. To Methuen, second premium of $15.00.

For Ox Teams-To Andover, first premium of $30.00. To Methuen, second premium of $15.00.

We do not know as there is need of any extended remarks on Town Teams. The cattle thus collected and shown on the day of exhibition, simply contribute to the interest of the show, and also indicate the manner in which the farmers of the exhibiting town carry on their work.

A few suggestions, however, on the kind of stock best to be employed upon the farm, may not be out of place. Within a few years, a great change has taken place in the manner of doing farm work, particularly that requiring animal labor. Horses have to a great extent been substituted for oxen, and

we now find few farmers owning working oxen. This has resulted from several causes. The small profit in making beef since the supply has come mainly from the West, the greater quickness with which many kinds of work can be performed by horses, and the high price of fodder in past years, have all contributed to this result. But we have sometimes thought that farmers have gone too far in this direction, and we hold that the comparative value of horses and oxen for ordinary farm labor, is really quite an important question for every farmer.

Undoubtedly the use of horses is most economical for the performance of many kinds of work, such as ploughing “old ground," harrowing, and many kinds of teaming, but yet there are some things which can be done best by oxen. It is seldom that a horse team can turn over grass ground so well as oxen, especially if the ground be rough or stony, and generally for any kind of work requiring especial strength and steadiness, oxen are preferable. Still it is absolutely necessary for every farmer to keep a horse, and of course if he can perform all his work with it, he does not need a pair of cattle. But if his farm is large enough to require more animal labor, then it becomes a question whether he had better employ oxen or horses. There are several points to be considered in deciding this question, which will readily suggest themselves; but we will only refer to one or two. If the farmer has carts and harnesses for horses, and no equipments for oxen, he must consider whether it will pay him to go to the expense of an outfit for an ox team. If his business is such as to require a large amount of teaming on the road, he must consider whether his work cannot be done more economically by horses. But then we suppose it is the experience of almost every farmer, that when he finds it necessary to sell his horse, he cannot get as much as he gave, even if his horse has not depreciated in value. We do not think this applies particularly to farmers, but suppose it to be a general law, with now and then an exception,-that the man

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who buys a horse, does not usually get his money back when he sells. If he buys a good sound horse, the animal is subject to the ten thousand ills to which horse flesh is heir, and he is liable any day to find that by some unlucky wrench or strain, or carelessness, fifty per cent. of the value has vanished. If he makes an unlucky trade, and finds that his horse has some quality which he don't like, or is utterly wanting in the traits he most desires, he cannot easily sell, but must wait months for a customer, and then sell at a low figure. It is true it is not much easier to find a customer for a poor, thin pair of oxen, than for a horse; but we don't believe a good farmer will often have that kind of oxen. If oxen are fat enough for beef, they will always sell at the market price; so that if one buys a pair of cattle to work for a short time, he need not lose anything if the price of beef remains the same, The difference in the cost of keeping a pair of horses and a seven-foot pair of cattle for a year, is not very much. The oxen probably cost the most in the winter, and the horses in the summer. We do not advocate the use of oxen for farm work by every farmer, but we think that by proper management they can be used profitably to a greater extent than they are. And the first and principal point is to buy the right kind of cattle. It is a common notion that it is most profitable to buy thin cattle, and by good keeping get them fat, thus making a gain. We believe this is a great mistake. Our own experience is, that the most unfortunate trades we ever made were in buying that kind of stock. There is always some reason why cattle are thin, and unless we know all about them it is impossible to tell whether it is for want of good keeping, or because they are dainty, or by reason of hard work. If it is because of poor keeping, they will thrive and fatten on good living. But nine times in ten cattle are thin and lank, either from daintiness or hard work. There is nothing more provoking than to see cattle poke over their feed, only eating the choicest bits, and it is

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almost impossible to fatten such stock. And as far as profit is concerned, one might about as well turn his grain into a rat-hole as to feed it to cattle that have been worked down thin on good keeping. If one finds himself possessed of such a pair, he cannot easily sell them for work, and cannot fatten them in any reasonable time, and he concludes that ox labor is very unprofitable.

Instead of buying such stock because it seems cheap, we believe it better economy to purchase young, thrifty, goodshaped stock already in condition to make decent beef. The first cost may be a little greater, but so will be the receipts when they are sold. If they are fat, good provender will keep them so, and the chances are that they will continue to gain. If they do not work well, they can be sold any day to the butcher for the market price. It will also generally be found that good-natured, docile animals, such as take on fat readily, and "keep themselves well," are the best workers. The fractious high-tempered cattle worry more at their work, are more liable to be abused by drivers, and consequently do not thrive as well.

We have found, too, that oxen fat enough for the butcher, if good shaped and thrifty, stand the heat better than thin

ones.

Other points, such as the breed of cattle best for farm work, the most economical mode of feeding, and kindred questions, might be discussed, but this paper is of sufficient length. To sum it all up, we believe that every farmer will do well to consider whether or not it is prudent for him to employ oxen instead of horses; and also if he decides to do so, that he should be careful in his purchase, and see whether, in the matter of oxen, it is not cheapest in the long run, to buy the best.

All of which is respectfully submitted.

Jos. S. Howe, Chairman.