Show loss to countryside in passing of ox team where there are no no big draft horses the mule la is the only real rival ot of the ox 01 in farm work mule breeding la in the south and the importation of the five big breeds of horses from northwestern europe into the united states rather than the invention of the tractor finally displaced the ox as a source of power on our farms and in our lumber camps the passing of the ox Is one of the penalties of progress it Is one of those cases where our esthetic feelings are sacrificed to productive efficiency oxen oien at work are more decorative than horses mules or tractors they give one the impression of irresistible power there Is 13 something primitive about the way they are yoked joked find and their power applied their very slowness the way they lean against the yoke and the way the yoke creaks under the strain al all heighten the effect the countryside has lost one of its charms since oxen went out of fashion besides skill in driving oxen Is becoming one of the lost arts but they are altogether too slow tor for this fast age while we like to look at oxen we are certain that we should not lilie e to ride behind them we prefer pr e to go whizzing in an automobile so there seems to be nothing to be done about it but we cant help feeling that ine e lose something by being so terribly progressive progress like every other good thing co costs ats something exchange |