Massachusetts Spy And Worcester Advertiser

Agricultural.
PLOUGHING MATCH.
Report.
The Committee on the Ploughing Match have the honour as well as great satisfaction to inform the President, Trustees, and all the members of this Society, that, in lieu of a race-match, we have this day had a Ploughing Match which has done great honour to all the competitors, and much credit to this Institution. Although improvement has always been the professed object of our Ploughing Matches, your Committee are well aware that, heretofore, all the preparatory preparations of the competitors have had reference principally if not wholly to time. This has been owing, in some measure, we think, to the competitors' not fully and distinctly understanding the way and manner in which they were to obtain the highest wages for their labour. Instead of commencing and pursuing their work in a farmer-like manner, and attending to all the parts which might aid and assist in perfecting the whole work, the end of the land and the furrow which would cover the most ground were the objects which the competitors had in view; as if two or three seconds of time would warrant them a premium. But, on this occasion, your Committee are happy to say that, in their opinion, great advancement has been made since the last year in this most valuable and important part of good husbandry; and we think the great increase of competitors, in addition to the improvement made, is conclusive proof of the necessity and utility of attending to this branch of our Exhibitions.
Seventeen Ploughmen with their teams entered the field, and, being well convinced of the truth of the sentiment advanced by Cato, when he said the first rule in husbandry was to plough well, they commenced their work and ploughed two acres and one eighth of an acre, in 8 hours and 25 minutes, which is much less than one half of the time usually occupied by those farmers who are regardless of improvement, and mispend their time in the use of worn-out teams and worn-out ploughs. And whoever will take the trouble, or rather the pleasure, of minutely examining the ploughing this day, will generally find a great uniformity in the depth, width and lay of the furrows, which is equally beneficial to the succeeding crop and to the ease and advantage of the husbandman in tilling his farm.
The work was all so well and so thoroughly done, that, while your Committee congratulate the Yeomanry of the County of Worcester on the extraordinary improvement both as respects the work and manner of doing it, they found the duty of discrimination, and of giving preference, to be very arduous and exceedingly difficult.
Seventeen competitors, being called to order, formed a circle and cast lots for their sections, the ground having been previously divided into sections of an eighth of an acre each.
Lot No. 1. Jonas Johnson, of Worcester--work performed in 41 minutes.
No. 2. Levi Lincoln, of Worcester--work performed in 31 minutes.
No. 3. Seth Hastings, of Mendon--work performed in 28 minutes.
No. 4. Silas Dudley, of Sutton--work performed in 34 minutes 30 seconds.
No. 5. William Eaton, jr. of Worcester--work performed in 39 minutes.
No. 6. Stephen Marsh, jr. of Sutton--work performed in 33 minutes.
No. 7. Stephen Marsh, of Sutton--work performed in 29 minutes 30 seconds.
No. 8. Royal T. Marble, of Sutton--work performed in 30 minutes.
No. 9. Lewis Chapin, of Worcester--work performed in 29 minutes.
No. 10. Luther Whiting, of Sutton--work performed in 31 minutes 30 seconds.
No. 11. Samuel Sibley, of Sutton--work performed in 32 minutes 45 seconds.
No. 12. Henry Wheeler, of Worcester--work performed in 35 minutes 30 seconds.
No. 13. Henry Bullard, of Holden--work performed in 28 minutes 36 seconds.
No. 14. Sumner Cole, of Sutton--work performed in 26 minutes.
No. 15. Ward & Rice, of Worcester--work performed in 26 minutes 15 seconds.
No. 16. John Jacobs, of Sutton--work performed in 26 minutes.
No. 17. Asa Cummings, jr. of Sutton--work performed in 25 minutes 45 seconds.
The Committee awarded as follows:--
1st Prem. to Asa Cummings, jr. of Sutton, $10
Himself, Ploughman, $5
Davis Cummings, Driver, $3
2d Prem. to Sumner Cole, of Sutton, $8
Danl. Woodbury, Ploughman, $4
John Sherman, Driver, $2
3d Prem. to Royal T. Marble, of Sutton, $6
Himself, Ploughman, $3
Russel Marble, Driver, $2
4th Prem. to Seth Hastings, of Mendon, $4
Elias Rawson, Ploughman, $2
Your Committee have to remark, that the ground furnished by our President, who is always so ready and so willing to aid and assist in rendering this anniversary both interesting and respectable, was remarkably fine, and well calculated to give a fair trial; and for this, together with the excellence of the work of his team, although we do not award him a premium, he has our best wishes that his land may return him a rich harvest.
order.
JOSEPH THAYER.