494 MASS. BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



the farrow slice as wide as possible, — say from 14 to 18 

 inches, — and ploughs have been adapted to this end. That 

 plough which would cut the widest furrow and lay it flattest, 

 has been deemed the best. In this way, an acre may be 

 turned in the least time, but, in our opinion, not in the best 

 manner. We prefer to have the furrow slice no wider than is 

 necessary for the complete turning of the sod. What is gained 

 in time is lost in the pulverization. That furrow slice is best, 

 both in width and position, that most facilitates this process. 

 In this respect, we admire the operation of some of the Eng- 

 lish and Scotch ploughs, and we doubt whether yankee inge- 

 nuity has gone ahead in this particular. 



In some counties of this Commonwealth we have noticed 

 that their premiums were restricted to teams of one pair of 

 cattle, without a driver ; as if it were settled that such teams 

 are adequate to all ploughing purposes. In Worcester espe- 

 cially, we understand it to be " the settled conviction of the 

 trustees, that with one of the improved ploughs, and a single 

 yoke of well matched and well trained oxen of common size, 

 most of the ploughing on a New England farm may be well 

 executed ;" that is, by " well executed," as here used, to 

 better advantage, all things considered, than in any other man- 

 ner. If this be the idea intended to be conveyed, we respectful- 

 ly say it does not accord with our observation. We should be 

 willing to join the issue on this question, and try it before a 

 jury of twelve practical farmers, drawn from any twelve towns, 

 even of Worcester county, with or without the arguments of 

 counsel. 



If one pair of cattle are adequate to all ploughing purposes, 

 it should be known. But that it is not generally believed to 

 be true, is established, we think, by the fact that our farmers 

 do not generally use such a team in the ordinary performance 

 of the work on their farms. They would not be likely to 

 use any more power than they believed to be advantageous. 

 Without doubt, very good work can be done on common field 

 land with such a team ; but we think better work can be done 

 with a team of more power, and we should prefer increasing 

 the strength of the team and deepening the movements of the 



