456 EUROPEAN AGRICULTURE. 



the progress of this art, from its rudest stages, to the beautiful 

 and facile manner which distinguishes its performance in the 

 best cultivated districts of England and Scotland. I do not like 

 to say that no further improvements can be made. No reflecting 

 man, who has witnessed the extraordinary changes, and inven 

 tions, and improvements, of half a century, and seen the contin 

 ually-shifting scenes, and the new actors presenting themselves 

 on the stage, and bringing the treasures of their wisdom and 

 skill to the vast accumulations which genius and science have 

 already heaped up, will assert this of any human art ; but it is 

 safe for me to say, that I do not know how, in the best cases, the 

 execution of the work can be improved. Under the direction of 

 an experienced and well-skilled ploughman, and an efficient and 

 well-trained team, the implement itself moves like a thing of 

 life, and performs its office with the precision of the highest in 

 telligence. 



This is not the effect of accident ; it is the work of severe and 

 careful training. Boys are early accustomed to stand behind the 

 plough, and stimulated by the strongest motives which can be 

 addressed to their cupidity, their love of approbation, or their 

 ambition of excellence. Under the prevalent subdivision of 

 labor, to which I have before alluded, the advantages arising 

 from practice, and a fixed attention to one particular object, are 

 obviously secured. The man who ploughs, and does little else 

 except ploughing, is far more likely to execute his work thor 

 oughly and well than the man whose attention is divided among 

 a multitude and diversity of pursuits. 



11. PLOUGHING-MATCHES. The ploughing-matches, likewise, 

 in which most intelligent and severe judges are appointed, the 

 rules of competition are stringent and absolute, and the golden 

 rewards most liberal, have contributed essentially to the improve 

 ment of this art. 



We have witnessed the same results in the United States. I 

 recollect the first ploughing-match at Brighton, under the 

 auspices of the Massachusetts Society for promoting Agriculture. 

 The gradual proficiency, from these early and comparatively rude 

 trials, to the triumphant and beautiful results which, more than 

 a quarter of a century afterwards, with honest pride, 1 have wit 

 nessed at Worcester, shows that there is no deficiency of talent 



