180 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER 



OCT. 25, 1843. 



PLYMOUTH CO. 



AGRICULTURAL SOCIE- 

 TV. 



Report on Plowing. 

 Tiie comniiUoe on Plowing entered upon the duty 

 assigned them, fully aware that tliere has been 

 n-.ore complaint made against the committee on i palmer, 

 plowing, in former years, than against any other 

 committee. This has most probably arisen from 

 the intense interest and pride of feeling which is 

 generally fflt by the competitors and their friends 



especially disappointed ones. But the difBculty 



of deciding in so short a time as to whose land is 

 plowed best, all things considered — where all are 

 plowed so well — may, with the best intentions, in 

 some instances, have led the committee into error. 

 Your present committee do not expect In escape 

 the same censure, and perhaps it may be more de- 

 served ; but the best rule which they know to 

 practice upon in such cases is, where we cannot 

 satisfy all, to try and satisfy ourselves, without fear 

 or favor. This your committee have earnestly en- 

 deavored to do this day ; but the task has been a 

 difficult one, owing to the large number of compe- 

 titors and the skill and workmanship displayed by 

 all. And if any are disappointed — as we know 

 they must be, for all cannot receive premiums, al- 

 though the committee wish they might — we would 

 Bay to them, " hold u^)'your lieads, boys, and do n't 

 crv, but hitch up a link and come on and show 

 fight another year, when perhaps there may be a 

 more competent committee, and you may be more 

 successful ; at any rate, do n't give up without 

 another scratch." 



Your committee would report that the quantity 

 of land assi^'ned to each team was one-eighth of 

 an acre, and the committee required that the land 

 be plowed nut less than six inches deep and the 

 furrows turned flat. The whole number of entries 

 were 17 — and 10 teams of one yoke of oxen plow- 

 ed. There was one yoke of 3 years old steers en- 

 tered for plowing, which your committee consider- 

 ed did not come under the head of oxen, and ac- 

 cording to tlie offer for premiums, concluded they 

 were not admissible ; they presume that the Trus- 

 tees in establishing their premiums, did not wish 

 to encourage our farmers to do oxen's work with 

 steers, any more than they would wish boys to do 

 men's work. 



The first premium of $10, they award to Horace 

 Ames, of Bridgewater ; work performed in l()]-2 

 minutes. The plow used was manufactured by 

 Ruggles, Nourse & Mason, of Worcester. 



Second premium of 88, they award to Charles 

 Gurney, of N. Bridgewater ; work performed in 20 

 minutes. Plow manufactured by Ruggles, Nourse 

 & Mason, of Worcester. 



Third premium of $0, they award to Stafford 

 Slurtevant, of Halifax ; work performed in 18 min- 

 utes. Plow manutactured by Ruggles, Nourse & 

 Mason, of Worcester. 



Fourth premium of $4, Ihey award to Philander 

 Wood, of Bridgewater ; work performed in 2.3 min- 

 utes. Plow used manufactured by Prouty & 

 Mears, of Boston. 



Fifth premium of §3, to Galen Conant, of Bridge- 

 water ; work performed in 20 minutes. Plow 

 made by Ruggles, Nourse & Mason, of Worcester. 

 To Daniel Alden, of Middleboro', they award 

 one vol. N. E. Farmer, and one vol. Mass. Plough- 

 man. 



To Elisha G. Leach, of Bridgewater, they award 

 one vol. Mass. Ploughman. 



To Newton Mitchell, of Bridgewater, they award 

 one vol. N. E. Farmer. 



To Seth Alden, Middleboro', and Albert Pierce, 

 Bridgewater, each one vol. Mass. Ploughman. 



To Wm. Thompson, of Bridgewater, and Jona- 

 than Leonard, of Middleboro', each one vol. N. E. 



Of the whole number of plows used, 10 were 

 manufactured by Prouty & Mears, and by Rug- 

 gles, Nourse & ftlasun. Your committee much re- 

 gret, as on former occasions, that they have not 

 more to give, as they thought that more were de- 

 serving. DION BRYANT, CVmn. 



On Improvements. 

 The committee on Improvements can almost say 

 with one of Shakspeare's heroes, 



" Olhello's occupaiion 's gone." 



The doings of the Society at their last annual 

 meeting, in creating the office of "Supervisor," 

 and transferring to that office all the business that 

 heretofore came before this committee, must em- 

 phatically 



"Teach us 

 There 's a Ditinity that shapes our ends." 



In this dilemma, your committee console them- 

 selves that there are parallel cases of the abolish- 

 ment of offices to get rid of incompetent inciimbenls ; 

 and some of us have too long attended the minis- 

 tration of ojie* most competent to teach the lessons 

 of consolation, not to profit by his precepts and ex- 

 amples in this instance. But whatever may be 

 our personal feelings on this occasion, we are duly 

 impressed with the conviction of the wisdom and 

 propriety of the measure, and of the fortunate selec- 

 tion of the executive officer, and we can say to 

 competitors, what has been our loss will be your 

 gain. 



Our attention having been called, in the incipi- 

 ent stages of operation, by some competitors for 

 perspective premiums for reclaiming swamp land, 

 or fresh meadow, claimable in 1843, and having 

 made the primary examination, in conformity with 

 the suggestion of the Supervisor, your committee 

 have attended to the remaining duties, and submit 

 the following report: 



For these premiums, five claims were entered in 

 season. One claimant gave timely notice that on 

 account of the abundant rains about the time he 

 calculated to complete his operations, he should 

 not be able to establish his claim, and therefore 

 withdrew. Another, after some progress, and the 

 primary view, left his land and your committee 

 with like ceremony, to experience the chilling neg- 

 lect that is evinced to the eye of the traveller, as 

 he passes some of the domains of this millionaire 

 in acres. 



The committee have examined the improvements 

 of the other claimants, and recommend the £wa:d 

 of the following premiums: 



To Lewis Kenney, Esq , of Wareham, the first 

 premium of $25. 



To Col. Abram Washburn, 2d, of Bridgewater, 

 the second premium of ■SI.'). 



To Nahum Snell, Esq., of W. Bridgewater, the 

 third premium of $10. 



By request of Mr Lewis Bartlett, of Wareham, 

 we viewed two pieces of swamp land reclaimed by 

 him since June 1st, 1842, in all about two acres. 

 Mr Bartlett would have entered them in season. 



but for the misapprehension that no premiums 

 would be awarded. 



We were much pleased with the faithful ani; 

 workmanlike manner in which Mr Bartlett had con- 

 verted his worthless swamp into good EnglisI 

 mowing, and recommend that two volumes of th< 

 Mass. Ploughman be awarded him. 



We also examined one and a half acre of swam( 

 land, reclaimed by Mr Luther Richards, of Wes 

 Bridgewater, for which we recommend a gratuitj 

 of one volume of the Mass. Plcughman. 



Much credit is due the competitors for thest 

 premiums, for their indefatigable labors and faith 

 fnl exertions in subduing and bringing into gout 

 English mowing, heretofore impregnable and nox 

 ious swamps, unproductive of any thing valnabb 

 for man or beast, and this too, in some instances 

 at an expense that would startle some of the fas 

 tidious sticklers for a rotation of corn and rye, ani 

 rye and corn, on the same fields their ancetors hai 

 cultivated in like manner since the landing of tin 

 pilgrims. 



Our low swampy lands in this section of th 

 country, are the farmer's gold mines, and if the 

 cannot there find the material for coining the "i/eJ 

 low jackets" they can, at least, raise the vegetabl 

 substance that will command them ; and the yeai 

 ly increased attention to the renovation of thes 

 lands, must convince us that " the schoolmaster i 

 abroad," '\s faithful in his vocation, and has som 

 very promising pupils. 



It has been remarked, and we believe with muc 

 truth, that as the country becomes cleared and lai 

 open to the influence of the sun ; our meadow 

 drained of their stagnant waters and rendered fci 

 tile by cultivation, that fevers and epidemics be 

 come more rare and less fatal. This consideratio 

 alone, should incite us to vigorous effort to banis 

 the fatal malaria that generates them, from ou 

 borders. 



All of which is submitted for, and in behalf « 

 the Committee, 



H. COLLAMORE, CKmn. 



'Alluding to Rev. Morrill Allen, the Supervisor. 



On the Dairy. 



To Thomas Weston, of Middleboro', for the 

 best butter, $ 



To George W. Holmes, of Bridgewater, for 

 the next best do. 



To Mrs. E. C. Ripley, of Plympton, for the 

 next best do. 



To Messrs. Isaac Washburn, Laban Fobes, 

 and Pardon Copeland, each one volume of the | 

 Mass. Ploughman. I 



To Ezra Phillips, for the best cheese. 



To Albert G. Pratt, of Bridgewater, for the 

 next best do. 



To Mrs. Susan Pratt, of E. Bridgewater, for 

 the next best do. 



To Messrs. Seth Leach, Nahum Snell, and 

 Geo. W. Bates, each one vol. of the N. E. Far- 

 mer. J. E. HOWARD, Ch'mn. 



On Stock. 



Your committee recommend the first premium i 

 $\0, for the best milch cow, not less than 3 yeai 

 old, to Charles Packard, of N. Bridgewater. 



Second premium of $6, for next best do., in 

 less than 3 years old, to Mrs. Abigail Whitman, ' 

 E. Bridgewater. 



Third premium of $6, for best heifer having hi 

 a calf, to Josiah Whitman, of E. Bridgewater. 



