Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1886-12-03

cellcnt work in sol that contained
scarcely any grit. This pillow deserves
TO rank among the great inventions OF
the age.
In excellence of material. in work
manshp, kinds of work. the modern
pillow. such as is exhibited in all of cur
leading agricultural fairs. seems to leave
nothing TO be desired. EnterprisinG
manufacturers now make plows that
are adapted to all manner and condi-
tons of soils. They are always ready
to hear suggestions from practical
farmers and quick to adopt improve
ments. We have single plows and gang
plows. walking plows and riding
plows. On many farms blowing land
has become a sedentary occupation.
The plowman sits on spring seat COW
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 pillow in its prop
er position. The plow is held by sup
ports that do the work once performed
10y tired hands. The plowman only
uses his hands for holding the reins that
guide his horses He can lower or cle-
vate the pillow 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 blowing than was
done 10y an implement whose body was
wood. which was covered with sticks 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 blowing with them than is done
at the present time. Many foreigners
who visit this country pronounce our
blowing very bad. They state that
EnglYs h, Scotch, Belgium. and Holland
farmers would not allow their fields TO
be plowed in the manner they ordn-
arily are in this country, if they could
have the work done for nothing. Even
Canadian farmers criticise our blowing.
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
fields. 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
pillow 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
duction of excellent plows have not re-
suited in improving the quality of our
blowing. Perhaps if we consider the
matter we shall not wonder that i'm
proved implements have not improved
the operation of blowing. Great skill
in any department of handicraft is zen
orally acquired when very poor tools
are employed. The workman knows
that he must exercise very great care
or his job will be a poor one The per-
sons who handle the poor spinning
wheels and hand-lOoms in India pro-
ducc shawls and other goods unequaled
by those made in Europe and America
10y 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 thai
their poor machines will help them
much in producing superior cloth.
They rely on themselves to produce
truly excellent They ac-
1ure self-coniidence as well as con
summatc skill 1t is more than likely
that superior plows have resulted in
giving us careless and unskilled plow-
men, who do blowing inferior to that
lone with much poorer implements fifty
years ago.
Darcntly been a decline of interest i'm
the matter of good blowing. The sub.
Jet receives very little attention in the
agricultural papers of the country
There are no longer any competitive
rials of plows by our agricultural soci-
tiles. AT our state and county fairs
here are no blowing matches, ~ was
common only few years ago At one
lime the plowing-match was leading
eature at agricultural fairs In many
Eases there were prizes not ONLY for the
pest blowing, but for the best plowmen
md plow teams. At some fairs there
we're pillow ng-matches open only TO
boys Plowing-matches are still very
common in European countries, and
hey attract more attention than ever
before. a paper published in Scotland
ately advertised over twenty blowing
matches that were to occur in a single
week The plowing-match appears to
DC an established institution i'm Canada.
n countries famous for good farming
md large crops the interest in the
increases year by yeal.
Are not the superior crops of Grea
Britain and Belgium largely due TO
superior blowing? Has the displacc
nent of the blowing match at fairs by
he purely agricultural hoss-trot' ad-
led To the yield of our corn and whea.
ields? Have improved plows improv
'd our pillow ng?- Chicago Times.