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for good work, but the evidences of skill manifested, under 

 other conditions, might have secured the highest award. 



Land taking fourth premium, ploughing good generally — 

 plough not adapted to its work — "buried" itself too deep — a 

 deep dead furrow unavoidable. 



To the ploughman there are certain things essential to good 

 ploughing, which is, taking the soil up and turning it over in 

 such a manner as to leave a level or smooth surface. To effect 

 this, in striking out a "land" the first furrow in turning should 

 be of less depth than the general work, it turning over the ridge 

 more readily, and the ridge being modified thereby, (the off ox 

 travelling on the sward facilitates this), and gradually gaining 

 the proper depth after one or two furrows. Again, in finish- 

 ing, the last furrow should be of less depth, for it relieves that 

 most unsightly thing in ploughing — a deep, dead furrow. 



To secure good ploughing a trained driver is indispensable 

 and much harder to be obtained than a good ploughman, for 

 while the latter has to select his plough with reference to the 

 work and set or guage it, the lesson to guide the same is com- 

 paratively short. Not so with the driver; he has to deal with 

 the impulses and caprices of animated nature and must have 

 natural aptitude or inherited qualities for the business; in 

 short he must be raised from " the seed," no improvising or 

 grafting a good teamster on foreign stock; he must have been 

 a " steer-boy " to skilfully manipulate the ox-goad, which for 

 fineness of work is second only to the fiddle-bow in the hand of 

 an expert or an Ole Bull. He must have a voice that gives no 

 uncertain sound ; he must be alert and watchful, — constant 

 attention is imposed upon him ; eternal vigilance is the price 

 of good ploughing and the premium. 



There was m.ich interest manifested in the work. " Speed 

 the Plough" is the song of all classes, alike of those who 

 labor and those who do not, for by the plough their bread is 

 assured, and speeding improvement in ploughs and ploughing 

 brings immediate benefit to the farmer, and ultimate good to 

 all. Nathaniel Little, Jr., Chairman. 



