The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1886-12-03

cred by soft cushion. and is protected
from the sun by canopy which is
spread over his head. There is no oc-
casion for holding the plow in it's prop
er position. The plow is held by sup
ports that do the work once performed
by tired hands. The plowman only
uses his hands for holding the reins that
gu de his horses. He can lower or cle-
vate the plow or throw it out of the
ground by the pressure of the foot.
These plows make easy work for the
team, and almost entirely relieve the
plowman from physical exertion.
With such plows we should naturally
expect much better plowing than was
done by an implement whose body was
wood. which was covered with st cks of
wrought-iron, and which was drawn
through the ground by slow-moving and
very clumsy oxen. Still many farmers
who handled these crude implements in
the eastern states declare that they did
better plowing with them than is done
at the present time. Many foreigners
who visit this country pronounce our
plowing very bad. They state that
Engl sh. Scotch, Belgium. and holland
farmers would not allow their fields to
be plowed in the manner they ordin-
arily are in this country, if they could
have the work done for nothing Even
Canadian farmers criticise our plowing.
They state that the owners of large
farms are too intent in getting over the
ground to allow them to do good work.
1t is certain that very excellent plow-
ing is done on many Canadian farms
There are no ragged ends to the plowed
helds. A narrow headland is plowed
before or after the remainder of the
field is turned. The burrows are
straight and at almost equal widths
throughout the entire field. If the
plow is thrown out by stone, the
team is stopped and backed to the place
where there was an obstruction.
In the opinion OF many old and close
observers. the manufacture and intro
dnction of excellent plows have not re-
suited in improving the quality of our
plowing. Perhaps if we consider the
matter we shall not wonder that i'm
proved implements have not improved
the operation of plowing. Great skill
in any department. of handicraft is gen
orally acquired when very poor tools
are employed. The workman knows
that no must exercise very great care
or his job will be poor one. The per-
sons who handle the poor spinning
wheels and hand-looms in India PRO
duce shawls and other goods uneaualed
by those made in Europe and America
by the use of the best machinery.
They become very dexterous. They
acquire skill never gained by the op-
orator in any English. French, or
American mill. They give their minds
to their work. They do not expect that
their poor machines will he lp them
much in producing superior cloth.
They rely on themselves to produce
something truly excellent. They ac-
quire self-contidence as well as con-
summate skill. 1t is more than likely
that superior plows have resulted in
giving us careless and unskilled plow-
men, who do plowing inferior to that
done with much poorer implements fifty
years ago.
During several years there has APP
parenty been 4 decline of interest in
the matter of good plowing. The sub
ject receives very little attention in the
agricultural papers of the country.
There are no longer any competitive
trlais OF plows by our agricultural soci-
cites. At our state and county fairs
there are no plowing- matches, as was
common only few years ago. At one
time the plowing-match was q leading
feature at agricultural fairs. In many
cases there We're prizes not only for the
best plowing. but for the best plowmen
and piow teams. AT some fairs there
were plowng matches open only to
boys. Plowing-matches are still very
common in European countries, and
they attract more attention than ever
before. A paper published in Scotland
lately advertised over twenty blowing
matches that were to occur in a single
week. The owing-match appears to
be an established institution in Canada.
In countries famous for good farming
and large crops the interest in the
plowing-match increases year by year
Are not the superior crops of Great
Britain and Belgium largely due to
superior plowing? Has the displace-
ment of the blowing match at fairs by
the purely agricultural hoss-trot" nd
ded to the yield of our corn and wheat
tieldsP Have improved plows improv-
ed our plowing?- Chicago fumes.