1092 



Ploughing and Ploughing Matches. 



[Mar., 



appears, however, to have been no sustained attempt to follow on 

 the experimental work inaugurated by the Society of Arts in 

 1784. Doubtless various forms of tests were carried out by 

 manufacturers as they adopted new designs, but public trials 

 became practically limited to ploughing matches. Of the 

 number held at different times or at any one time in the 

 nineteenth century no estimate appears to have been made 

 or to have survived. Doubtless much might be elicited, if it 

 were worth while, by local inquiry : but we may accept the 

 received opinion that there has been a marked decline within 

 the recollection of the older generation. Kecently inquiry was 

 made by the Ministry of Agriculture of County Organisers and 

 others, and from the replies which have been received it would 

 appear that some 250 annual competitions are still maintained 

 in England and Wales. In a few instances tractors are now 

 included, but in the great majority of the matches horse-ploughs 

 alone are entered. In some counties no matches appear to be 

 held even where there is a great deai of arable farming : but it 

 is likely that complete information has not in all cases been 

 in the possession of the Ministry's correspondents. 



In England, the county with the greatest number of matches 

 is Yorkshire, where 29 are reported to be held annually: 

 curiously enough no matches are reported from the East 

 Biding. The other counties for which figures are given are 

 as follows : — 



21 Suffolk. 4 Berkshire, Buckingham, Hampshire, 



15 Kent. Surrey. 

 13 Durham, Essex. 3 Worcester. 



10 Lancashire. 2 Northampton. 



9 Hereford, Nottingham. 1 Cambridge,*Cheshire, Cornwall, Gloucester, 

 8 Oxford. Hertford, Middlesex, Northumberland, 



7 Somerset. Rutland, Shropshire, Westmorland, 



5 Devon, Lincoln, Sussex. Wiltshire. 

 In Wales and Monmouth the number of matches appears 

 to be large as contrasted with England. Tn Pembroke there 

 are 33, in Brecon and Radnor together 24, in Cardigan 20, in 

 Montgomery there are 7, 3 each in Flint and Monmouth, and 

 1 each in Carmarthen and Glamorgan. 



To some extent the national and local tractor trials have 

 taken the place of ploughing matches : and many farmers 

 appraise the work done very much as they would the work at 

 a ploughing match. This is not wholly to the bad, for careful 

 work is as important with a tractor as with a team of horses, 

 provided the standard has a real meaning, a point upon which, 



