290 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



the Michigan plough, I think the work done hy it must have 

 removed them. 



The peculiar spiral form in which the sod is left, and the 

 generous quantity of subsoil thrown upon it, gives to the field 

 the appearance and character of spaded ground, and saves a 

 vast amount of labor in the cultivation of the crop. One fea- 

 ture I noticed, which is common to all county exhibitions of 

 ploughing, the undue urging of the team by whip and voice ; and 

 this can never be removed while the time of ploughing is a con- 

 dition upon which the award of the premium is to be made. 

 Something of this is undoubtedly owing to the " esprit dii corps''* 

 which is felt when different towns contend against each other, 

 and it is to this feeling that I attribute the fact that far less 

 urging of the team is generally to be seen at town exhibitions, 

 ■where neighbors only enter into the contest, than in those which 

 are managed by county associations, where each competitor 

 feels that the honor of his town rests upon him. The truth is, 

 we do not want quick ploughing at the expense of the cattle, 

 but the real object of the ploughing match is to determine who 

 is the best Avorkman at home. 



The next portion of the exhibition was in the society's hall. 

 The multifarious departments here were elegantly filled. Lus- 

 cious fruits, mammoth vegetables, tempting bread, and beautiful 

 butter, elaborately wrought specimens of work in the ladies' 

 department, machines and_,farming implements, abounded on all 

 sides in too great quantity to give any other than a general 

 impression of elegance in all departments, while the limited 

 opportunity for examination of course prevented any particular 

 criticism of single articles. 



Next followed the spading match, which was well carried out, 

 and afforded a display of good work. The next step in the 

 programme was an address upon " Agricultural Head-work," 

 very suggestive. 



The exhibition of stock was limited, but good. Some very 

 fine blood stock were in the pens, but my impression at the time 

 was that a cow entered as " native " possessed far better indica- 

 tions, both for milk and flesh, than any of the imported stock 



The show of working oxen was very good, and some very fine 

 specimens of training were exliibitcd. 



The closing portion of the exhibition, the dinner, found every 



