226 HAMPSHIRE, FRANKLIN, AND 



would have noticed this sad procession, stimulating its slow 

 progress by such unearthly outcries, as nothing in modern 

 times, unless it be a charge of Mexican cavalry, can be found 

 to compare with it. 



But how would it, how did it, rejoice the hearts of these old 

 farmers, to look upon such a piece of work as that of to-day ; 

 the easy and rapid movements of the teams, the quiet and 

 graceful management of the ploughmen, the silence, and the 

 quantity, and more than all, the quality, of the work done. 

 Some of the committee have been present at every ploughing 

 match since the formation of the society, and they say, that no 

 such near approach to perfection, in ploughing, has ever before 

 been attained ; and, — not to compare ourselves wholly among 

 ourselves, — others have attended similar trials, in different and 

 distant parts of the country, and all have read of the mode of 

 doing such work in other countries ; and we do not hesitate to 

 say, that the world may be safely challenged by your eighteen 

 competitors of to-day. 



Much discussion has heretofore been had, here and elsewhere, 

 as to the best mode of turning and leaving the furrow, in 

 ploughing ; some contending, that the edge of the sod should 

 be left T^pwards, and others, that it should be completely re- 

 versed, and the turf wholly covered. The committee are 

 unanimously of opinion, that the latter is the true way, in 

 green sward ploughing, at least, as it secures the more perfect 

 decomposition of the sod, and leaves a smoother surface for the 

 crop. We were pleased to observe the successful practice, upon 

 this principle, by all the ploughmen, to-day. In most of the 

 specimens, there was such a mathematical regularity in the 

 straightness of the furrow, and in the width of the furrow 

 slice, as could hardly be exceeded by a joiner or cabinet maker, 

 in his nicest work ; a result which could not have been pro- 

 duced, but by the best ploughs, in the hands of those, in whom 

 accuracy of eye, delicacy of touch, and strength of arm, are in 

 rare combination. 



OSMYN BAKER, Chairman. 



