SPADING. 129 



SPADING. 



ESSEX. 



Report of the Committee. 



Thirteen entries were made, but only seven men competed 

 for premiums, all of whom were Irishmen. 



The ground selected was a soft loam, and, though somewhat 

 uneven, well adapted for digging, but rather too narrow to ac- 

 commodate the numerous spectators who crowded with great 

 interest to witness, for the first time in this county, a competi- 

 tion of strength and skill in this direction. Towards the close 

 the excitement increased to confusion, as the better half of one 

 of the competitors stepped forward and fanned him with her 

 shawl, as in a burning sun he strained every nerve to win one 

 of your liberal premiums. 



Each of the lots contained sixty square feet, and the work 

 was performed in from eight to twelve and a quarter minutes. 

 Two of the lots, Nos. five and seven, were dug with shovels; 

 but as this was the first effort of the kind, and the men under- 

 stood that it was immaterial whether spades or shovels were 

 used, they were allowed to compete with the others. 



Some of the men dug with a trench, laying aside the first 

 row of sods, with which they filled the trench at the close. 

 Those who did so, appeared to find less difficulty in covering 

 the sward than did the others, who placed each sod in the spot 

 from which it was taken. All the lots were dug too rapidly to 

 admit of much pulverization, though some were left in better 

 condition than others. 



Towards the close, in consequence of the spectators crowd- 

 ing close upon the work, the committee found it difficult to ob- 

 serve so accurately as they wished, the manner in which the 

 work was performed. 



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