ON PLOUGHING. 67 



By Joshua Chandler, of Andover. 



*' Joseph Chandler, jr., ' 



*' Jacob S. Phelps, 



*' Ebenezer Jenkins, 



*' Dean Robinson, 



" Benjamin Poore, 



" Jacob Brown, 



" Micajah Treadwell, 



" Allen W. Dodge, 



West Newbury. 



(C 



Ipswich. 



Hamilton. 



The lots for double teams were all staked out and 

 numbered from 1 to 11. 



The Committee consider this an improvement upon 

 the former practice of having the lots run out by a 

 plough, as the skill of the ploughman and teamster, and 

 the tiaining of the teams, are by this course tested in 

 drawing straight furrows, an item in good ploughing 

 which should not be lost sight of, where work is brought 

 to that perfection it should be in a county which has 

 been so long under cultivation. 



The team entered by Allen W. Dodge of Hamilton, 

 (a team of likely young oxen,) near the commencement 

 of the work, broke their plough — and after one or two 

 unsuccessful attempts to repair it, Mr. Dodge signified 

 to the Committee his wish to withdraw, and not be con- 

 sidered as a competitor. 



The land selected for the ploughing match by the 

 Committee of Arrangements wa? level and of uniform 

 quality. It was light loam with a tender sward, and 

 owing to the drought did not turn as well, and show as 

 smooth a surface after ploughing, as land more moist or 

 with tougher sward. Still the Committee are of opin- 

 ion, making due allowance for those circumstances, the 

 ploughing was better than on former years. The teams 

 considered as competitors all did work worthy of a premi- 

 um ; and as the Committee had but four to award they 

 had some difficulty in coming to a conclusion how to 

 award them. But after repeated examination of the 

 work, as to depth, width, and straightness of the fur- 

 row, the manner of turning, and also some slight re- 

 ference as to the time consumed in accomplishing the 



