144 HIGHLAND AND AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



Fouj'th and Fifth Ploughing Matches. 

 These took place at Kilirvan for the south division, 

 and at Machrihannish for the north division of Kintyre, 

 upon the 14th and 15th days of March 1803. There were 

 present — Duncan Stewart, chamberlain of Kintyre ; Hector 

 M'Neal of Ugadalc ; John Porter of Knockbay ; William 

 Langlands, surveyor of improvements to His Grace the 

 Duke of Argyll, with a great number of operative and 

 respectable farmers. The following practical farmers were 

 appointed judges of the work : — For the south division — 

 John Pickan, Machrimore ; John Turner, Tonrioch ; and 

 John Fleeming, Kilirvan. For the north division — Wm. 

 Kerr, overseer at Drumlemble ; Andrew Brackenridge, 

 Kilconan ; John Brackenridge, Chiscan. Thirty-six plough- 

 men appeared as competitors, twenty for the south division, 

 and sixteen for the north. The field fixed upon in the 

 south was lea of two years old, dr}', kindl)' soil, rather 

 gravelly and stony. The field in the north was old lumpy 

 lea, with a sandy bottom. Two ridges were marked off 

 for each plough, which might be equal to half an acre. 

 Numbers to the amount of those competing were marked 

 upon bits of paper ; these numbers put into split sticks, and 

 fixed one in each lot, and corresponding numbers cut and 

 put into a hat and drawn by the competitors, when each 

 took his station with his horses to the corresponding number 

 in the field, each ploughman ha\ing two horses without a 

 driver. Eight of the ploughs made use of were chain 

 ploughs after the model of Small's, and made by Robert 

 Colvil, cartwright in Campbeltown. The others were all 

 after the model of the old Scotch plough. The work in 

 general was exceedingly well performed. When the ploughs 

 were all withdrawn the judges, who were lodged at one half- 

 mile's distance, were sent for, and decided as follows : — 



South division — David Brackenridge, son to Andrew Brackenridge, Kil- 

 conan, the Society's silver medal and £2 los. ; James Macdonald, tenant in 

 Dimglass, £1 los. ; Archibald Watson, tenant in Blastel, £1. 



North division — Charles Kelly, at Machrihannish, the Society's silver 

 medal and £2 los. ; Donald Kelly, in Cracaig, £1 los. ; Duncan M'Millan, 

 son of Neil M'Millan, in Kirkniichael, £i. 



Ten shillings divided among the unsuccessful candidates. 



