122 MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURE. 



When we hear of the settlement of a new country, it is not 

 necessary to replete our minds with the ideal pictures of im- 

 agination in order that we may unravel the hidden mysteries 

 of futurity, so that we may know that nation's rise and pro- 

 gress ; but we can more definitely define its fate by making the 

 simple inquiry, Do they apply themselves assiduously to the 

 science of agriculture ? and if in reply we are told that they 

 pride themselves in the arts of war, and scorn the tillage of 

 the soil, then we shall have discerned the decree of the fates, 

 and but a few years will serve to show that upon its course is 

 indellibly stamped the awful decree, " Thy fate is death." But 

 if, on the other hand, we are informed tl;at their cherished 

 pursuit is the agricultural, and the plough is the nation's pride, 

 then will our good judgment tell us that the fairy Goddess of 

 Justice hath descended from the etherial regions, and with her 

 wand hath affixed upon that nation's career that beloved motto, 

 " Prosperity is thine ; " and the pages of their history will she 

 interline with the garb of honor. 



The spirit of competition, so rife in those who enlisted in the 

 ploughing match to-day, strongly indicates that the spirit of 

 progress, which always has so ennobled old Worcester County, 

 has waxed strong, and that brilliant flame of agricultural ad- 

 vancement now blazes with redoubled energy. 



The interest of the ploughing match was somewhat enlivened 

 by the appearance of a new patented plough (the Michigan 

 Double Mould Board) upon the field, and the noble service 

 which it performed gave it strong claims for a premium, which 

 would have been awarded had it not been for a diversity of 

 opinion in the minds of your committee as to whether it should 

 compete with those of former use. But your board of trus- 

 tees made a just decision in granting this plough an equal 

 chance hereafter with all others. To-day three of the same 

 kind of ploughs were entered, and your committee decided that 

 those had fairly earned a premium, which we awarded ; and 

 we have no hesitation in saying that it is injustice to debar any 

 plough from competing with those which have received the 

 premiums heretofore. Competition is the order of the day, 

 and let him have the prize who wins the race. The other 

 ploughs have years ago written their own history in letters of 



