82 "^^E3T OXFORD SOCIETY, 



use of white oak and 'cold iron.' It reflects credit on the Society, 

 however, that its regulations strictly forbid the adjudging committee 

 to award a premium to any man who abuses his oxen. 



The Ploughing Match was conducted upon the right principle — the 

 object being to ascertain which team or plougli could make the best 

 icor/c, limited only to reasonable time and speed, and not which could 

 disturb the largest territory in a given time, or a limited piece in 

 the shortest time, which usually results in the abuse of all concerned — 

 team and teamster, plough, ploughman and land. Turning over 

 the surface of soil in broad layerS; or furrows, is by no means pul- 

 verizing it, which is the object of ploughing; and that plougiiing 

 which most thoroughly accomplishes this object, limited only to reas- 

 onable time and speed, and with a reasonable expenditure of 'power, 

 is unquestionably the best. Several ploughs were tried, all of which 

 made fair work. It was the opinion of good judges, however, that 

 the ' Michigan plough ' more thoroughly pulverized the soil than 

 either of the others, although it did not leave the surface quite as 

 smooth. 



The Horse trotting was well conducted, although no remarkable 

 time was made — the quickest being 3:11. During the trial of speed 

 there was no whipping or abuse further than the driving of 

 horses, as well as the drawing of oxen, to the utmost of their 

 strength, merely to gratify the pride of their owners, and the curi- 

 osity cf spectators, necessarily constitutes an abuse. It remains for 

 our agricultural societies, both State and County, to decide wiiether 

 they will encourage or discountenance these abuses; for they add 

 nothing to the value of the animals, or to the wealth or comfort of 

 society. 



The amount of dairy products on exhibition was very small, there 

 being only three specimen.^ of butter and three of cheese presented 

 for examination, most of which were of very superior quality. There 

 should have been a larger display of the products of this important 

 branch of domestic industry. 



There were several excellent specimens of corn and wheat in the 

 store-room ; but the display of garden vegetables was quite limited. 

 The deficiency in this important department probably arose from the 

 fact that the regulations of the Society allow garden products to be 

 entered for premiums at any time before the first of January — a rule 



