178 



Ploughing Match. — Fruit Trees. — Weevil. 



Vol. XL 



doubt, secure the potatoe against the rot in 

 a great measure. 



M. T. Johnson. 



Short Creek, Ohio. 



Ploughing Match. 



A PLOUGHING MATCH took placc in Mont- 

 gomery, Orange county, on the 28th of Oc- 

 tober, at which $50, a sum which had been 

 contributed for the occasion, was awarded in 

 premiums. A correspondent who was pre- 

 sent at the trial, furnishes us with the fol- 

 lowing account : 



The day was fine and the attendance 

 large. The competitors numbered sixteen ; 

 the ground was very smooth and in excel 

 lent order, and some of the work was most 

 admirably done. Capt. Robinson, of New- 

 burgh, was here with a highly finished 

 plough of Minor & Hotton's, No. 22. His 

 team — horses — were well trained to the 

 work, and the ploughman understood his 

 business. He ploughed his land, one-quarter 

 acre, in thirty-four minutes, and in a style 

 that no connoisseur of ploughing could find 

 fault with. From beginning until the last, 

 each and every furrow was as straight as a 

 drawn line, and turned handsomely over. 

 Our friend, Capt. R., takes great interest in 

 ploughing, and ofl^ers to make a large bet at 

 considerable odds, that he can beat any one 

 in the county, — the judges to come from a 

 distance. John Wait" held a plough that 

 was got up in beautiful style by Minor & 

 Horton, — No. 21, — for the occasion. The 

 team was horses, a pair of poor, jaded hacks; 

 but the plough was of such light draft that 

 it required but little exertion for the team, 

 and scarcely an efibrt for Mr. W. to hold it, 

 so level and even did it run. The furrow- 

 slice was not as wide as Capt. R.'s, and was 

 cut and turned with the utmost neatness and 

 precision — not the least shadow of any devi- 

 ation from a straight line could be perceived. 

 There was a plough from the shop of Speer 

 & Wilson, Newburgh, held by Edward 

 Wait. This plough, but little known, even 

 in tliis county, made excellent work, and by 

 many spectators was thought to be equal to 

 any in the field. There were some four or 

 five others that made very good work; and 

 all the competitors ploughed their one-fourth 

 acre within the hour. 



Everything passed off satisfactorily until 

 the report of the judges was read, when 

 nuich disapprobation was shown ; not so 

 much by tlie competitors as by the specta- 

 tors. The judges were selected in the 

 morning, just before the ploughing began, 

 and are generally good practical farmers 

 and well-meaning men; but their views of 



what constitutes good ploughing, are sadly 

 at variance with what we have been learn- 

 ing through the columns of the Cultivator, 

 and other works on agriculture. We have 

 been taught that good ploughing consists in 

 turning a straight furrow, with great exact- 

 ness of width and depth, either flat, or 

 slightly lapped. But our friends, the judges, 

 at the grand match, would have us believe 

 this is all wrong; that the right ploughing 

 is that which leaves the furrow on the edge, 

 or in as rough a state as possible. They say 

 that this is the best way " to plough for a 

 crop." Now, if this is so, if the rough, 

 Ijroken furro.v is the best ploughing, we 

 shall have to discard the so-called improved 

 ploughs, and return to the old-fashioned 

 " hog-plough ;" and as to having ploughing 

 matches, they would be a great farce ; for 

 who wants to witness a thing where neither 

 skill nor judgment is called into exercise. — 

 Cultivator. 



For the Farmers' Cabinet. 



Fruit Trees. — One of the greatest 

 drawbacks with which fruit raisers have to 

 contend, is the late frosts in the spring ; 

 against which there appears to be no com- 

 plete remedy. But in order to have as great 

 security as possible, we should plant our 

 trees on the most elevated portions of land 

 we have; for cold, like water, seeks the 

 lowest ])laces. If any one wants a familiar 

 illustration, let him hang a kettle of water 

 over a fire sufficient to heat it, and thrust 

 his hand to the bottom, he will soon disco- 

 ver the philosophy of it. 



Near large water courses fruit is fre- 

 quently preserved by the fog, which rises in 

 consequence of the great difference between 

 the temperature of the water and the at- 

 mosphere. 



M. T. J. 



For the Farmers" Cabinet. 



Weevil. — I spent the year 1830 in Charles 

 City county, Va., and there for the first time 

 became acquainted with the destructive ef- 

 fects of the weevil, to avoid which the in- 

 liabitants threshed out their wheat — or trod 

 it out with horses — and let it remain in the 

 chaff until it was needed for use — it was got 

 out very soon after harvest. The corn vvas 

 permitted to stand in the field until the stem 

 connecting the ear and stalk was completely 

 dry, then housed with the husk on, and kept 

 so till needed for use; this course seemed to 

 afford protection against the weevil. 



M. T. J. 



