NORFOLK SOCIETY. 279 



man to draw for the number of his lot, and all to start at the 

 same time by signal. 



Under these regulations, the first lot was ploughed in twenty- 

 seven minutes, and the last in forty-two minutes. 



All the ploughing was so well done, that it was difficult for 

 the committee to decide to whom the premiums should be 

 awarded ; and they would have taken much pleasure, (had they 

 the power,) to have given premiums to all the competitors. 

 The committee gave their whole attention to the work, during 

 the ploughing, and examined the land carefully after the work 

 was done. The premiums were awarded (by ballot) as fol- 

 lows : — 



1st premium, ^8, to S. J. Capen, of Dorchester, with driver ; 



Ruggles, Nourse & Mason's plough ; time, twenty-seven 



minutes. 

 2d premium, $6, to Jonathan French, Braintree ; Howard's 



plough ; time, forty-two minutes. 

 3d premium, $'4, to William Pierce, Dorchester ; Prouty <fc 



Mears' plough ; time, thirty-three minutes. 

 4th premium, $2, to James M. Robbins, Milton ; Prouty & 



Mears' plough ; time, thirty-four minutes. 



Your committee are of opinion, that drivers ought not be 

 allowed to single teams. One yoke of oxen ought to be trained 

 to plough with one man, as it is quite expensive to use a driver 

 to a single team, and creates greater difficulty in awarding the 

 premiums. The committee also, think it would be better not to 

 confine the ploughmen to a specified depth and width of fur- 

 row, as the competitors found it difficult to arrange their 

 ploughs so as to come within the rules. By adopting this sug- 

 gestion, there would be a variety of ploughing, and a greater 

 chance for improvement, and the committee would judge ac- 

 cordingly. 



WILLIAM KEITH, Chairman. 



