DISCUSSION ON PLOWS AND PLOWING. 385 



But my poiut is, that we should be careful how we express any 

 opinion against the plows made in this State, for they are all good 

 plows, as I understand, and our manufacturers would not tolerate 

 any report from us based upon a want of knowledge of the real 

 character of the things we are talking of. 



Mr. Wasson. Right here and now, while the remarks of the 

 two gentlemen who have preceded me are fresh in our recollection, 

 I would like to say a word or two. We have, in those two gentle- 

 men, the representatives of two extremes. My friend. Col. Swett, 

 thinks it advisable that we should recommend some plow ; Mr. 

 Lucas represents the opposite wing, and thinks we should express 

 no opinion whatever. If we adopt the former course, we place 

 ourselves in a position which, during the entire life of the Board 

 we have uniformly endeavored to avoid, namely, that of an adver- 

 tising medium. In the infancy of the Board a resolution was 

 adopted, wisely, as subsequent events have proved, not to take 

 sides as partizans in favor of one or the other of competing 

 interests. Since that day we have a new agency in the field, 

 namely, the Farmers' Clubs. What we want now, is, if possible, 

 to insert a connecting link between this Board, representing the 

 farmers over the entire State, and these little clubs representing 

 their several localities. It is perhaps a question now before us. 

 Shall we hesitate to express an opinion ? Is not that a part of our 

 legitimate work ? Believing, as I do, that of all the implements 

 of husbandry the plow is the most important, I believe that we do 

 injury to the interests we represent if we fail to express an opinion, 

 which we may do without representing this plow or that. If we 

 should attempt to advertise the plow of any party, we should find 

 as great a diversity of opinion as we should if we should attempt 

 to show what object is to be accomplished by plowing. 



Let me illustrate my meaning. If I should submit to those 

 present divers questions relative to plowing ; as the object to be 

 obtained — the best time to plow, the proper depth for plowing, and 

 many others ; I might get as many difiicult answers as there are 

 persons to reply. If, then, we could not agree upon fundamental 

 principles and points, would it be wise for us to attempt to say 

 what plow should be used ? 



Again, I believe that the object to be accomplished by the plow 

 in Maine is in some respects unlike that to be accomplished by the 

 plow in the Western States. We have here a hard, thin, cold, 

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