1803.] O 8515) ON HORSES AS PREFERABLE TO OXEN IN

DRAUGHT. v the Editor of the Agritulturat Magazine. S12, Aug. 15th, 1303.

USBANDRY is the mozst important of all arts, it has T therefore excited much Surprise, that, in a nation 80 en Lghtened and enterprising as Great Britain, it has not received more attention tban has been hitherto bestowed upon it. The vast consequence of our commerce I! readily covncede, 1 must, however, contend, that our commercial and manufac- turing concerns, will not Stand on that Solid basis on which we Should place them, till our agriculture is more perfectly and extensively practised. Among be many advantages which would result irom zuch an Improvement in our Du maDage- ment, 1 conceive that one ot the most important would be a rapid increaze of many millions in our population; in Support of which idea 1 deem it unnecesgary to advance any arguments, I] beg Jeave, however, to observe, that when our restless, am- bitious, and inveterate enemies, have increased theirs in So alarming a degree, this zubject calls Joudly for the utmost at- tention and exertions of eur Landholders and Legislature, I therefore pronounce the great attention which amd Somer- ville, aud many more of our great proprietors, has lately paid to rural affairs, highly meritorious. Judging, however, ot his Lordzbip's Sentiments on the comparative adv antages,. ot horzes and oxenu for the purpose of draught, by what 1s Stated in Your Critical Catalogue, No. 45, I beg leave to offer(for publica- 109 in yoyr Mag: 1zine,) a few remarks upon that important Subject, which, as 1 understand that Some of your readers are warm advocates for the Superiority ot oxen, 1 Shall, perbaps, discgss at greater Jeugth, on Some future occasion: andin the Meantime T take the liberty of recommending to their attentive perusal, Messrs. Bailey and Calles? S Statement on the point in question(in their Agricaltyral Survey of Northumberland,) which is the most correct and gatisfactory that 1 have Seen, or heard of, Indeed, competent judges have asserted, that they have demonstrated the SUPerIOTIty ot horses to the farmer and the community, as clearly: as Geometricians have proved that the three interior angles ofe Very triangle, arg equal to 180 degrees. A CONIIDUTOT tothe Farmers Magazine, No. 6, Hias lollowed tbe outline ot their plan, and drawn a SINNE vill more favourable to horses; and if 1 had Suflicient leizure, 1 would now Jn x Such Statements and calculations, as 1 con- ceive would show that neither his Statement nor thqz;e of Messrs. Bailey and Culley are Sul ciently favourable to those usefu] animals. Lord Sowerville states a fact which Scarcely Any person acquainted with Rural Aflairs will contradict,

As. Mug. Ful. 9.] M