THE DECLINE OF PLOUGHING MATCHES.

Southern Cross, Volume 1, Issue 20, 12 August 1893, Page 11

THE DECLINE OF PLOUGHING MATCHES.

. The marked decrease in the number of ploughing matches held this winter is worthy of being noted. I have observed lately that many of the provincal societies, under whose auspices these competitions fleurished in bygone years, have generally issued a formal resolution to the effect that the annual ploughing match will not be held this season. It has been a struggle for some years past with most of the associations to maintain

even a local interest,in; the matches, ,and their extinction will not be very greatly mrsMd excepting by a few of the “old hands,” who enjoyed the contests more than any other event of the year. Much could be said in favour .of ploughing matches, but more can be said against them. They are a means, no doubt, of stimulating ploughmen to excel in the handling of a most important implement, and they inay also be cxedited with the making of many of the best husbandmen of the country. But the prize ploughmen of modern times —-and they are hot to be blamed more than the j udges—became artificer’s who ploughed mer ely to dazzle the eye, instead of turning the sod in in a manner calculated to produce heavy crops. Practical farmers have long since discovered the fallacy of turning over the land in clean-cut furrows or rectangular slabs at ploughing matches. They know that such ploughing does not honestly or thoroughly cultivate the land. Other machines have subsequently to be used to pulverise the soil, and for that reason chiefly matchploughs and ploughing matches are fast going out of fashion. The short chilled ploughs which break the furrows all to pieces, leaving just sufficient cover for the seed and no hollows beneath the surface, are now entirely displacing the old-fashioned style of plough and ploughing. The modern system of conducting ploughing as now adopted by the leading agricultural societies of Great Britain is not only to judge the character of the work performed but to test the draught*of the various implements competing, and before awarding the prize to wait and see what kind of crops are produced. Where that plan is adopted there is reason to believe the matches will still prove instructive and beneficial, but as generally conducted in this country the sooner they are abandoned the better.—Australiasian.