442 MONTHLY JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURE, 



sneered at, would these " improvements " which " every year brings to notice," 

 get to be widely known and available '■? 



The Committee proceed to remark, that they are strongly impressed with the 

 superior value of those plows which lay the furrow-slice /a< and even, especially 

 in the cultivation of grass. The trials which we have witnessed in Massachu- 

 setts have generally been in tough old sward-land. The harrow is afterward 

 brought into play. It fills up all the chinks, makes smooth work, and the suc- 

 ceeding crop is planted or sowed on the sod thus inverted, Avithout disturbing it ; 

 and as the grass and its roots perish and roi, the succeeding crop gets the whole 

 benefit, 



Plowing with Single Teams. — The experiments detailed go to show that an 

 acre of land may be plowed by a single yoke of cattle and one man in four hours, 

 and " probably nearly two acres in a day." The Committee ask whether it would 

 not be better when two pair are employed instead of one, to use them separately, 

 applying the second pair to a s7i/iA027-plow to follow the first one. This must 

 somewhat depend on the depth of the soil. In Worcester County, where this 

 whole business is as well understood as in any part of the world, the premiums 

 are limited to one pair of cattle without a driver. By driver is meant, not the 

 plowman, but one who attends him to lead and urge forward the team. A plow- 

 ing-match at Worcester is the most beautiful and impressive of all agricul- 

 tural operations. Nothing can exceed the quiet self-possession, calmness and 

 docility of the plowman and his team. It is indeed to be remarked of the ox 

 that he never commits the blunder of going to the right when ordered to the 

 left, or vice versa. His instincts are infallible. 



Subsoil-Plowing. — The only entry of subsoil-plows was made by Benjamin 

 Poor, of Indian Hill farm, West Newbury, and distinguished as the winner of 

 the premium for the best cultivated farm in the State submitted for inspection — 

 an honor that in any highly enlightened and virtuous Republic, would win higher 

 social and political reward than the most triumphant success on the ensanguined 

 field of battle. The Society acknowledged their obligations for being often in- 

 debted to Mr. P. for contributions to its Shows. 



The Committee close their Report with the general remark : " Farmers every- 

 where, who have tried subsoil-plowing, concur in representing it as beneficial in 

 draining wet lands, and in counteracting the effects of drouth on dry soils ; and 

 your Committee believe its advantages will be made apparent to all who will 

 make a trial of it." 



Working Oxen. — This term in Massachusetts seems to be applied, where 

 premiums are offered, exclusively to oxen working in carts, hauling heavy loads 

 to test their strength. It is only where oxen are so almost exclusively used that 

 men get to be versed in the niceties that come into consideration in awarding 

 premiums to the best. 



The highest premium was awarded to " Jonathan Berry, Jr., of Middletown, 

 for his speckled-face ctlWIc, five years old." They were " large of their age, well 

 formed, not full in flesh, well matched as to temper, and well trained for cattle 

 of that age." One important point is, that they should work " even and true." 



Milch Cows and Hfjfers. — All that were entered for premiums were of 

 "native breed." The first premium was awarded to Henry Cressy for a cow 

 six years old, and as readers generally may be curious to know some particulars 

 of a premium cow in old Essex, Massachusetts, Hou. Tiinotky Pickcring^s county. 



