The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1878-06-04 00:00:00

RURAL OBSTRUCTIONISTS.

We have found our friends the labourers • little
dilEcult to deal with in the matter of new inventions
applied to the better cultivation of the land. A
master who wishes to introduce • new implement has
to contend with a good deal of not altogether good
tempered opposition. Several cases have come under
our obserantion during the last few years in which
master. have been bothered from this cause, and it no
doubt acts prejudicially by disinclining them to make
further changes, even after they bare succeeded in
overc ,ming the stupid objectionv of carters and
labourers. We have • vivid recollection of a sad
narrative told us by a large farmer in • home oounty,
who deplored his inability to introduce improved two-
horse iron ploughs in the place of the old Gallows
plough. Not a word have we to say against that
highly-valued but cumbrous-looking bistrument the
Gallows plough. In its right place and on • certain
clean of suds it maintains ita reputation in • manner
truly astonishing and we should imagine trulZ
bewildering to Messrs. Hornsby, Ransom.. and
Howard ; but in the case cited the mil was light, and
might have been emily ploughed with two horses or
even by a double-furrow plough and three horses. Th.
labourers, however, were opposed to any change, and
the master, being one of the amiable sort succumbed.
The mention of double-furrow plough, calls UP
another cam in which the carters prejudged and con-
demned the instrument before it was tried, and being
very much set against it, the meatier did not persevere.
Such opposition should be met with tirmnem, for it
readily gives way when the merits of the implements
are shown off successfully for • short time. We
remember another case in which, when the double
ploughs were introduced, the carters were " martin
sure" they would never answer • but on Um same
farm them ploughs are now regularly at work, to the
satisfaction of both masters and men.
_ . .

In districts where some particular implement—ench
se • mower, for examplie—is regularly used, master*
have little conception of the ignorance displayed by
labourers in other districts regarding the self-same
implement. Only this season we have heard specula-
tions among the labourers on a large farm as to
whether • mower could work or not. Some thought
he would never cut it ; others that the purchase-money
would be money thrown away. One of the doubting
carters is now riding round a Bald of grw quite eon-
teatedly, and apparently forgetful of his scepticism.
It Is very important, when new implements are
Introduced on to • farm, to see that they are properly
set to work. A man who has worked the instrunseat
should, if possible, be obtained to start It, for the
slightest hitch in the Gulag, in the hemming of the
hones, or some little difficulty which re sure to salsa
will of Leo cause an Implement to go badly, and if is
makes a bad start it is oondemned at °nos. It is (so
to speak) "blown upon." and tea te one if the
labourers do not entirely disbelieve in it from that time
forth and for ever. It may sewn unnecessary to cell
attention to prejudices which are merely the resedt of
Ignorance, It is, however, to be regretted that when
men are on the look-out for increased wages, sad
criticising the masters for farming extravagantly and
badly, that they should at the same tima after opposi-
tion to Improvement We trust ths evil is not so
widespread al our experience has Led us to suppose.—
/gra:Wirral Gamete.
MONSTER BROCOLI.

The Cermet IWirepA Oates that • few days duce
11r. (1. Knoell. of the Coarnbs, Chyandour, near
Pennines, who bee been a Brood' grower for upwards
of half a eentory, wee OM Of the Bret to get the early
Broca of Cornwall Into the London and Northern
markets, cut two monster Brocoli, which together
weighed 50113. They were the sort known as Poutey's
late White Wilonve. The huge scales at the smelling.
house had to be called into requisitions to ascertain
the weight of the plants, which were afterwards cut up
end divided amongst the smelters. Mr. E. Wilson
, of Plymouth, is the vendor of this particular
=ll
. The ease_peper also records the fact that •
nice disk of grew" Fees wee gathered at Pen:mos on
the littb ult.