242 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER 



FBn. 1, 1S43. 



youth, nnd often also in his riper years, end lie had 

 never felt ashamed of it. He bad always tliought 

 it a good calling. 



A gentleman from New Hampshire, (name not 

 known,) called himself a farmer — one of the work- 

 ing farmers — and he thought farming the best of 

 all pursuits. And how and where would he teach 

 it ? He would do it at home. As soon us the 

 child could, he should be made to do some work. 

 And he should go on working. He should cut up 

 bushes, and make all his grounds smooth, and neat 

 and productive by his loork. We complain of hard 

 times ; — why ? Because the young must wear a 

 ruffle shirt, and cannot touch a hoe without his 

 gloves on. Let the young men — gloves off — go 

 to work — and then limes will be well enough. He 

 did not wish the /armer to have much learning. 

 These learned men make good farmers, because 

 they spend much money in their farming operations. 



PLOWING MATCH OF THE ESSEX AGRI- 

 CULTURAL SOCIETY. 

 In the autumn we gave some account of the 

 trial of plows at Andover. We find in the last 

 No. of the Genesee Farmer, a more full account 

 in the form of a Report, from the intelligent and 

 accurate Chairman of the Committee, J. W. Proc- 

 tor, Esq. This is the best report we have .ever 

 seen from any of our Societies on plowing and 

 plows. It enters into minute details, and is, there- 

 fore, valuable to most readers. — Ed. N. E. F. 



The Committee on Plowing with double teams, 

 Report: 



That sixteen teams were entered, thirteen of 

 which were present and engaged in the work. The 

 field selected for the purpose was directly in front 

 of the buildings of the Theological Institution at 

 Andover. Lots Nos. J to 10 were 18 rods long 

 and Hi 1-2 feet wide. Nos. II to 13 were 17 rods 

 long and 20 1-2 feet wide ; each containing about 

 one-sixth of an acre. The soil may be described 

 as a heavy granite soil, with a veiy hard gravelly 

 or stony subsoil. Most of the fast rocks near the 

 surface had been removed. The soil itself appears 

 never to have been plowed more than- five inches 

 deep, and the subsoil was so hard that it was diffi- 

 cult to attain the requisite depth of seven inches. 

 Of consequence, the appearance of the furrows 

 was rougher and more broken than it would other- 

 wise have been, and the power required to move 

 the plow was necessarily much increased. The 

 lots were drawn and the work was done as follows, 

 vix : 



No. 1. Jesse Curtis, of Marblehcad, owner; 

 George W. Winslow, plowman: Andrew Curtis, 

 driver. Plow made by Ruggles & Co., 2d size ; 

 work done in 58 minutes, with 21 furrows. The 

 furrows were well laid, smooth, and rather shallow. 



No. 2. Charles Foster, of Andover, owner ; 

 Charles W. Foster, plowman ; John P. Foster, dri- 

 ver. Plow made by Ruggles & Co., 2d size ; 

 work done in C4 minutes, with 21 furrows. The 

 furrows were lapped a little, not quite seven in- 

 ches deep, well laid. 



No. 3. Ralph H. Chandler, of Andover, owner ; 

 liimself plowman ; Joseph Chandler, jr., driver. 

 Plow made by Ruggles & Co., Eagle size ; work 

 done in G2 minutes, with 19 furrows, quite deep, 

 and appeared more broken than most of the oth- 

 ers ; the work was faithfully done. 



No. 4. Geo. P. Wilkins, of Middleton, owner; 

 James Wilkins, 2d, plowman ; Andrew F. Curtis, 



driver. Plow made by Ruggles & Co., with a cir- 

 cular cutter, from one of Pike's plows: work done 

 in 44 minutes, with ID furrows. In going the se- 

 cond round, the point of the share was broken by 

 striking against a fast rock ; but this inconveni- 

 ence was counterbalanced by the e.\tra skill and 

 e-\ertion of the plowman. For this work the se- 

 cond premium was awarded. 



No. 5. Joseph Kittridge, of Andover, owner: 

 Nathan Foster 3d, plowman ; Israel Foster, driver. 

 Plow made by Prouty & Co., size A. Work done 

 in 45 minutes, with 10 furrows, of proper depth ; 

 not so regularly laid as some of the others, proba- 

 bly through inattention to this point on the part of 

 the plowman. 



No. 6. Samuel Jenkins, of Bradford, owner ; 

 Joshua Day, plowman; Samuel Jenkins, driver. 

 Plow made by Prouty & Co., size A. ; work done 

 in 41 miniJt.es with 18 furrows. These furrows 

 were wide, of full depth and well turned ; some- 

 what broken, favorable for tlie land. For this 

 work the third premium was awarded. 



No. 7. Jacob S. Phelps, of Andover, owner; 

 himself plowman ; Chandler Phelps, driver. Plow- 

 made by Ruggles & Co., 3d size ; work done in 

 63 minutes with 20 furrows; not so even as some, 

 and rather shallow. The plow was not large 

 enough for the work. 



No. 8. Wm. Peter.s, of Andover, owner ; him- 

 self plowman ; George Jewett, driver. Plow made 

 by Prouty & Co., 2d size; work done in 41 mi- 

 nutes with ID furrows; irregularly laid as compared 

 with others. 



No. D. James Stevens 2d, of Hanover, owner; 

 Franklin KimbplI, plowman ; John Martin, driver. 

 Plow made by Prouty & Co., size A. ; work done 

 ill 40 minutes with 17 furrows. This team was a 

 pair of oxen and a horse ; they worked remarkably 

 well and quick, and with little fatigue. Their 

 work was done as well as any on the field, but in 

 the opinion of a majority of the committee, the 

 team was not such a double team as was contem- 

 plated when the premiums were offered ; of conse- 

 (piPnce, not a regular competitor for the premiums. 



Note. — Since this decision was made, the board 

 of Trustees have determined that a team like this 

 may properly be admitted as a competitor for these 

 premiums. 



A gratuity equal to half the first premium, is re- 

 commended for this performance. 



No. 10. JeJediali H. Barker, of Andover, owner ; 

 Otis M. Clarke, plowman ; J. 11. Barker, driver. 

 Plow made by Prouty & Co., size B. ; work done 

 in 52 minutes with 19 furrows ; not cut so true as 

 some — wide and flat. This team was well trained, 

 as Mr Barker's cattle always are. 



No. 11. Samuel F. Barker, of Andover, owner; 

 Timothy Faulkner, plowman; Samuel M. Barker, 

 driver. Plow made by Prouty & Co., Sod. C, ; 

 work done in 58 minutes with 20 furrows. This 

 land was less favorable fur plowing than most of 

 the others ; it was considered well plowed and 

 laid, but not the depth required. 



No. 12. John F. Carleton, of Andover, owner; 

 Simeon Foster, plowman ; J. F. Carleton, driver. 

 Plow made by Prouty & Co., size A. ; work done 

 in (50 minutes with 21 furrows. This was laid 

 very smooth indeed, and in all respects well done. 

 For this work was awarded the fourth premium. 



No. 13. Samuel Jenkins jr., of Andover, owner; 

 John F. Foster, plowman ; Samuel Jenkins jr., dri- 

 ver. Plow made by Prouty &. Co., size A.; work 

 done in 51 minutes with 20 furrows; very perfect- 



Si 3 

 10 



ly done indeed, and quick, without hurry or faligi 

 — evincing skill in plowman and driver, and pe 

 feet discipline in the team. For this work w; 

 awarded the first premium. 



Recapitulation of Premiums. 

 Samuel Jenkins jr., Andover, 1st, 

 George P. Wilkins, Middleton, 2d, 

 Samuel Jenkins, Bradford, 3"d, 8 



John F. Carleton, Andover, 4th, 6 



James Stevens, 2d, Andover, a gratuity, 6 



In attempting to discriminate among the perf( 

 mances of so many, so nearly equal, it would nat 

 rally follow that there would be differences of opi 

 ion in the minds of the committee, and probal 

 their opinions may in some instances differ frc 

 others who examined the work. Several of 

 committee have had much practical experieni 

 both in holding and driving, and their opinio 

 Were particularly regarded in the decisions mai 

 Where all did so well, it is not easy to say w 

 certainty which did the best. 



Much credit is due to all concerned, for th 

 promptness in being ready for the work — starti 

 precisely at the time appointed, and for the ent 

 want of noise, and hurry and bustle in their mo 

 ments, and for the general propriety of the perf 

 mance. 



Considering the hardness of the soil and 

 difliculties of the work, we think it was as n 

 done as any match we have ever witnessed. 1 

 plows used were designed to lay the furrows f 

 In a light soil this is unquestionably the preferal 

 mode of laying them ; but it was the opinion 

 some of ihe conmiittce, that on a heavy soil 1 

 this, on land naturally moist and cold, it is bet 

 to leave the furrows somewhat broken, or a li' 

 on the edge, so that the atmospherical agent 

 may aid in pulverizing them, especially if the ph 

 ing is in autumn, when the furrows will be cxf 

 ed to the frosts of the ensuing winter. 



This Society has appropriated from $C0 to ! 

 a year for 20 years last past, to encourage imprc 

 ments in plowing. Not less than $1,500 has b 

 paid for this purpose. It is fair to inquire w 

 benefits have resulted from this expenditure. I 

 not sufficient that it affords an interesting and 

 citing spectacle for the time, like any other gi 

 of hazard, but to justify the continuance of s ^i 

 appropriations, there should result some pract 

 benefits. 



Having witnessed all the exhibitions in 

 county, and many of those in other counties, 

 may be permitted to testify as to their practical 

 Alienee, and do say without hesitation, that the 

 miums offered for the improvement in the coiisti 

 tion and use of plows, next to those for the en 

 management of farms, have been among the n 

 beneficial appropriations of the funds of the S 

 ety. 



Who that remembers the structure of the pi 

 in common use thirty years since, and compi 

 them with the best approved structures of the 

 sent time, will doubt on this subject? It is ; 

 fectly easy to demonstrate that a saving of n^i 

 one-half the labor may be made by proper at 

 tion to the form and finish of the plow used. 



The prominent points to be considered in 

 structure of the plow, are the power require 

 draw it, the ease or difficulty of directing it, 

 the manner in which it turns the turrow. ' 

 power of draft can be ascertained with great 

 cision, by means of an instrument constructec 



