90 BERKSHIRE SOCIETY. 



ed the greatest attention, and called together by far the largest 

 assemblies ever witnessed in this county, has been our plough- 

 ing match. For more than a quarter of a century, this interest 

 on the part of men and women, old and young, has been una- 

 bated and increasing. We go forth into the fields, in the clear 

 autumnal morning, surrounded by our families and friends, to 

 exchange mutual greetings, to enjoy the moderate and rational 

 excitement of the manly and generous contest, and to be re- 

 minded that, by patient and cheerful industry alone, can the 

 earth be made to contribute to our sustenance and comfort. 



At the earlier ploughing matches, under the auspices of this 

 Society, the premiums were given to those who most speedily 

 accomplished the work. In 1822 a fourth of an acre was 

 ploughed by one of the ox-teams in 25 minutes, and none of the 

 teams then in competition occupied over 36 minutes. During 

 more recent years, however, this extraordinary speed has not 

 been encouraged, and the ploughmen have been charged to re- 

 gard the excellence of the work, rather than the time in which 

 it is performed. The committee, in pursuance of this principle, 

 have fixed the time of 50 minutes, within which each quarter 

 of an acre should be ploughed, exclusive of five minutes rest. 



Twelve ox teams and nine horse teams were entered for the 

 trial and completed their work. All the lands were completed 

 within the time limited, and the times of the several lands 

 varied from 40 to 50 minutes. It is believed that of the ploughs 

 whose work obtained premiums, seven were the Ruggles ploughs, 

 two Miller's, and one Bonney's. 



The rules prescribed to the ploughmen were, that the furrow 

 should not be less than 5 inches in depth, and the furrow slice 

 not more than 11 inches in width. This rule is prescribed by 

 the By-Laws. In the opinion of the committee, deeper plough- 

 ing should be encouraged. 



Horse teams, 1st premium, to Horatio N. Tuttle, of Sheffield, $7 



" 2d " " Abiather Sikes, Pittsfield, . 6 



" 3d " " Daniel Sprague, " .5 



" 4th " " Loomis Millard, Egremont, . 4 



5th " " Ira C. Gaylord, Pittsfield, . 3 



