No. 124.] 35 



the orders of Gen. Godwin. Messrs. Johnson, Schuyler and John 

 D. Ward were appointed judges. Gen. Tallmadge, the honored 

 president of the American Institute was requested to open the pro- 

 ceedings and Gen. Johnson to direct the ploughing, and test their re- 

 lative draughts with the dynamometer. 



The procession then moved under the direction of Gen. Godwin, 

 led by the two bands, and soon reached the field designated by the 

 committee for the contest. On arrival a rostrum was found erected, 

 and the several lots of land numbered and measured, so as to afford 

 to all competitors an equal chance for choice of lots. 



Gen. Tallmadge made a short but appropriate address in the open 

 field to the vast collection of sturdy yeomanry attending the exciting 

 exhibition. Gen. Johnson followed with some of his home re- 

 marks, which were duly appreciated; and directed the several com- 

 petitors to advance and draw for their places. During this operation 

 the meeting was addressed by J. E. Teschemacher, Esq. of Boston,who 

 had been invited for that purpose, with one of his forcible agricultu- 

 ral appeals. The competitors then took their places at the several 

 numbers drawn by each, having one-eighth of an acre to plough, and 

 one hour to do the work. At the appointed signal all started, the 

 interest was extreme; so much so, that with the aid of all the officers 

 it was very difficult to keep the ground free from the pressure of the 

 crowd, which however had been admirably selected, rising on each 

 side so as to afford the numerous spectators a clear view of the field. 

 As the work progressed the interest and excitement increased, and 

 many persons began already to g-we55 which would gain the premium. 

 The judges were busily engaged, attentively examining the details of 

 each man's work, and towards the close, public opinion seemed to have 

 settled the question as to priority of merit in accordance with the 

 opinion of the committee. The committee composing the committee 

 of judges being all from New-York, and though practically conver- 

 sant with agricultural details, yet deemed advisable, as they were ap- 

 pointed by the American Institute, whose sphere of operations is not 

 limited to a single county or State, but embraces every State in the 

 Union, and is by its charter constituted a national Institute, to asso- 

 ciate with them the Jersey committee. 



After rigid scrutiny and examination of the several ploughings, 

 the first premium for the best work was awarded to No. 17, plough- 

 ed by Cornelius Van Winkle, with Eastman's plough ; the second 

 to William Close, with Bergen's plough; the third to John Swan- 

 ville, with another of Bergen's ploughs. These decisions were 

 unanimously acquiesced in by each of the several members of the 

 committee, and sanctioned by public approbation. This afiair being 

 finished, a proper piece of ground was selected for testing the 

 draught of the several ploughs offered for competition and premium, 

 by the dynamometer ; this was done under the superintendence of 

 Gen. Johnson, of Long-Island, and William Bigelow, of Hartford, 

 Conn., who was the maker of the instrument which tested the resist- 

 ance, and which was found far preferable to the one used by the 

 committee the preceding year, being more simple in its construction 



