June i, 1882.] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
PLOUGHING MATCHES AT MADRAS. 
The following is a letter from Mr. W. R. Robertson, 
m. R. a. c, Superintendent of Government Farms, to the 
Secretary to the Board of Revenue, dated Saidapet, Gth 
Onr^annual ' ploughing matches were held on the 
Saidapet Experimental Farm 011 the morning of Satur- 
day, the 26th ultimo. The land on which the com- 
petitions were held was of two descriptions—" irrig- 
ated" and " unirrigated." The latter was a sandy 
loam, free and easy to work ; the irrigated land con- 
tained mure clay, and it was therefore stiller and more 
difficult to Wo. k, especially as it had but just produced 
a crop of paddy. The dry land had been' under ragi, 
and all the laud was in stubble. The competitions 
wero so distributed that the public might see the 
win king of both improved and country ploughs in 
laud differing in character and condition. 
There were fifty competitors ; of these eight were 
farm employes. The majority of the competitors used 
tl ommon country plough ; a few worked improved 
ploughs, which they had purchased from the farm and 
elsewhere. 
The conditions of the competition and programme 
were as follows : — 
(1.) The competition will commence at G-30 a.m. 
precisely, The competitors with their cattle and 
ploughs must be in the lield at 6 A.M. 
(2.) A plot of ground containing 480 square yards 
will bo allotted to each competitor. 
(:!. ) Points in all cases will he awarded for, deep 
and efficient tillage (50), straightness of furrow (20), 
and speed in executing the work (30) ; and the prizes 
will bo given to the competitors in each class who ob- 
tain the highest aggregate of points. 
(I.)' During the competition, besides the competit- 
or. ..uly the Judges will be allowed to walk over the 
land. (It of the utmost importance that this rule 
should be strictly adhered to, Plough-cattle are timid 
when strangers are near, and sometimes become un- 
manageable with the very primitive gear used by the 
ploughmen, and any irregularity of this sort might 
altogethi r Bpoil a competitor's chance of success.) 
(6.) After each competition every opportunity will 
be afforded for examining the ploughs and the work 
done. 
{&) The names of the competing ploughmen, with 
a description of the ploughs to be used, must be en- 
tered at this office one clear day before the day on which 
the. competition takes place. 
Prim were offered in six classes as below : — 
( llaM I. — Ryots using any kind of plough. 
,, IX — Stud, uts of the Agricultural College. 
., 111. Laborers using improved ploughs in un- 
irrigatud land, 
• 1 IV. — do. do. in irrigated land. 
V. — do. ordinary country ploughs in un- 
irrigated laud. 
,, VI.— do. do. do. in irrigated land. 
Xh« prizes ranged in value from R2 to 10, excepting 
inthi 0 te of the students' competition, the first prize 
of whioh was a .silver watch and chain. 
[Then follow lists of the judges and of the successful 
competitors.] 
Mi. Robei (son proceeds :■ - 
It must l.e remembered, with reference to the fore- 
go in;, that the character of tho ploughs used and 
of the -loik performed differed considerably in the 
various old se*. and that, therefore, the points awarded 
iu fscli class do not ndiuit of compnri<nn. 
The nve. age depth at which tho country ploughs 
worked was not raoro than 3J inches; while, as is 
Usually the ease with theso ploughs, more than half 
of the laud was lift unmoved iii ribs, while tho 
: : . it face was unturned, being simply loo-mod in 
to.- in.. on. r ell. eled by the cultivator. I'ho im- 
proved ploughs worked, on the average, 6 inches deep 
th 
whole of the soil was moved and the grassy 
suriace was well turned over. 
As regards speed in performing the work, the im- 
proved ploughs w r ere equally superior. On the average 
they completed each plot in 45 minutes, which is 
equal to an acre ploughed in 7£ hours, The unim- 
proved ploughs took, on the average, CO minutes to 
complete each plot, thus gettiug over an acre in 
10 hours. 
The results of the matches were conclusive in show- 
ing the great superiority of the mould-board ploughs 
over the ordinary country plough as regards efficiency 
of work, cost of performing the work, or speed in 
completing the work. The cattle that were em- 
ployed to draw these ploughs were certainly much 
superior to those used in drawing the country ploughs, 
but they were not superior to the cattle generally 
used in Cuddapab, Salem, Nellore and in other dis- 
tricts. If the improved plough could but be intro- 
duced generally into the districts just referred to, 
the benefits that would result therefrom would bo 
enormous. 
In several district." the plough-cattle are not fitted 
to draw the larger improved ploughs, but for these 
localities a smaller kind of mould-board plough can 
be provided. 
The students' competition was held to determine 
the best ploughmen in the senior class. It was an 
interesting match from the fact that the competitors 
belong to localities widely apart: one to Bengal, one 
to Bombay, and to different parts of this Presidency. 
The Bengal student curried off the first prize. The 
work done was very good indeed. 
We hope to see similar matches in Ceylon. Better 
cattle, improved ploughs and deeper tillage would 
result in greatly increased crops. 
ANALYSIS OF " HYBRID BARK." 
The annexed analysis, we are informed, is derived from 
bark obtained from six consecutive hybrid trees grown 
upou Broughton estate, they (as self-grown seedlings) 
Deing the product of a mixed fringe of succirubra ami 
officinalis trees planted (probably 20 years ago) by Mr. 
John Atwell on the Mahapittiya (now part of Brought, n) 
estate. The exact date of planting of the original tiecs 
is not known. Perhaps Mr. Atwell could enlighten 
us upon this point and also state if tho trees came 
from Hakgala. 
Tho average age of the G analyzed trees is 5$ years 
,, ,, height ,, is 17ft. 10 in. 
,, ,, girth at collar ,, is 19j 
,, ,, girth 3 feet above collar ,, is 14 
The strips for analysis were taken 2^ feet from above 
the collar. More robust even as seedlings and plants, at 
3 years theso hybrids are said to bo taller, stronger 
anil more full of bark than succirubra trees of the 
samo age. The seed from theso trees is also said to 
bo peculiarly true to the hybrid type. 
Tho G trees analyzed are growing at an elevation of 
about 4G00 feet. 
Copy. 
Memo 3/7"». Colombo, loth March 1882. 
Analysis of Hybrid Cinchona Bark : 
4-21 per cont 
I tried. 
Gross vuluo in London market ... 5/2 per lb, 
With Howard Sulphate of Quinine © 
Total Alkaloids 
Remarks : Average of <! atom quills. 
■ Signed) C. K. H. Syhons. 
[Tho following letter has been cut out of tlu> "Timee" 
and sont to u-. The tacts ntnlcd oufrln to bo sutuVient i-ron. 
for our good friend Mr. Smith.— En.J 
Crystallized Sulphate Of Quinine 
Driod 
10 per or. 
7 * 1 ."i per eent. 
