PLOUGHING.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume IV, Issue 1064, 3 October 1883, Page 2

PLOUGHING.

To the Editor

Sie, —In reference to the late ploughing matoh at Methven and to your report thereof, I should like, with your permission, to make a few remarks. The thing to which I shall allude is the so-called “ new sort of ploughing.” First, I should like to mention that there is nothing newj about this particular kind of ploughing' whatever, it being well known amongst ploughmen from some parts of Scotland as “ twilled ploughing,” or the “ Glasgow cat,” In the second place, I wish to state that the idea which your report would convey to the uninitiated, that some particular kind of plough vro,uld be necessary to produce it, is entirely wrong. This kind of ploughing can be done with almost any plough at present in common, use; and is entirely due to the particular shape of share and coulter. In fact, this ploughing is far easier to produce than the style heretofore in vogue at Canterbury ploughing matches. From the amount of false cut necessary to produce this particular shape of furrow, the packing is rendered a matter of comparative ease, and the packing has always been the rock on which so many would-be ploughs and ploughmen have split. I notice Mr Cameron is reported to have stated at the dinner that this kind of ploughing was just the thing for the land in that district, I hope Mr Cameron will be kind enough to state his reasons for thinking so. I think ploughing matches should be'encouraged for several reasons, but I certainly do not think that match work as a rule is suitable for ordinary! farm purposes, and this new sort least of any. I look upon the style of work done at a match simply as a test, showing what can be done, a sort of ideal of what ploughing might be if.it were not for the rather awkward question of “ how will i pay?” But this ideal I think should be® kept as near the real as possible. I find that most farmers object to false cut, they like all the ground ploughed to whatever depth they may specify. Now this new sort of ploughing cannot be carried out without leaving an uneven bottom, one part of the furrow being six inches in depth, the other part must not be more than four. I question if the sample we had at Methven was three inches. If Mr Cameron has any ploughing to let, I am sure the contractors will be most happy to give him false cut ; most of thorn having an idea that it greatly lightens the draught. And again, what sane man would think of setting his coulter two inches to land of his share ? this being necessary for the production of the “ Glasgow cut ” lam afraid the contractors would object, both on account of their horses and ploughs. Trusting you will excuse the length of this, I an\, etc.,

Plough Boy.

Ashburton, Oct. 1, 1883

'The work done by these ploughs is evidently hew in this part of Canterbury, whatever it might have been in some parts of Scotland. Asa matter of fact the maker of these ploughs claim that there is a peculiarity in the construction and not alone in the share or coulter as “ Ploughboy ” seems to think*—Ed. Guardian.]