SOUTHLAND CHAMPION PLOUGHING MATCH.

Otago Witness, Issue 1551, 30 July 1881, Page 7

SOUTHLAND CHAMPION PLOUGHING MATCH.

(Southland Times.) Another annual meeting of this crack Ploughing Association, the metropolitan event, so to say, of Southland, was held on Friday last in Mr Hayward'B paddock, at Wallacetown. Mr Hayward's old lea, originally a part of the Oatlands Estate, has already had one or two matches held on it in bygone yeara, being thus favourite ground, conveniently situated on the Winton road, and about a quarter of a mile from Wallacetown Hotel. It has lain in grass for a number of years, and was excellent for the purpose of the day. In spite of the threatening Bhowery morning the turnout of teams on the ground was highly satisfactory (being five more than last year's number), and consisted of 25 double and seven single-furrow ploughs. Last year's list comprised 1 subsoil, 17 double, and 9 single implements. About two-thirds of an acre was allowed for double, and one-third for single-furrows, with five hours of time to finish in. DOUBLE-FURROW CIiASS. No. 9. Wra. Lindsay, ploughman ; John Lindsay, owner ; Reid and Gray, makers. A fair break, and very neat, regular furrows. No. 10. A. Drysdale, ploughman and owner ; Reid and Gray, makers. Splendid work, fife to be seen anywhere. No. 11. James Blakie, ploughman ; Blakie and Sons, owners ; Anderson and Findlay, makers. Also highly creditable. No. 12. Joseph Irvine, ploughman ; John Irvine, owner ;■ Anderson and Findlay, makers. Start not quite so good, but otherwise well up to the same class. , No. 13. W. R. Hazlett, ploughman and owner ; Jack and Son, makers. Equally good of its kind, and- of a sort many farmers would prefer ; looser, lower, but an excellent seed groove, and the land well werked. Np. 14. D. Thomson, ploughman; Thomson and Sons, owners ; Wilson (Winton), maker. Of different style, being firm, clear, good looking, and quite free from false sole. Np. 15. Mark Noble, ploughmen; Morton and Noble, owners ; Reid and Gray, makers. Very solid under foot) also a good sole, and the ploughing hard to beat. Thig was the Western Cup winner. No. 16. John MacKay, ploughman ; James MacKay, owner ; Reid and Gray, makers. Capital work, but not quite so straight. No. 17. Donald Barclay, ploughman ; A. Barclay, owner; Reid and Gray, makers. A more homely piece of work. No. 18. Thos. Stroude, ploughman and owner ; Reid and Gray, makers. First class all through. No. 19. Wm. Taylor, ploughm»n and owner; Wilson, maker. Not quite to plumb, but also good with fine finish. No. 20. R. Patterson, ploughman ; Wm. Patterson, owner ; Lennon, maker. Neat, sharp furrows, well put together, and straight. No. 21. John Grieve, ploughman ; R. Grieve, owner ; Anderson and Findlay, makers. Fine break and very nice work, but defective finish. ' No. ' 22. Harry Brass, ploughman ; James Brass, owner; Anderson and Findlay, makers. Also good break, middling finish, and generally creditable. No. 23. Wm. Cruikshanks, ploughman and owner : Reid and Gray, makers. The finish was good, and the work was similar, but not well packed. No. 24. D. Patterson, ploughman ; William Patterson, 1 - owner ; Lennon, maker. Superior work, but its furrows a little swung. No. 25. John Brown, ploughman and owner ; Reid and Gray, makers. Of similar class. No. 26. F. Calvert, ploughman and owner; Reid and Gray, makers. Difficult ground, and work at a disadvantage. No. 27. James Soutar, ploughman ; Wm. Cochrane, owner ; Reid and Gray, makers. No. 28. Alexander Officer, ploughman ; Officer and Sons, owners ; Reid and Gray, makers. No. 29. William M'lntosh, ploughman and owner ' x Reid and Gray, makers. Fair ploughing, but objectionable seedbed. No. 30. John Hamilton, ploughman ; J. W. Hamilton, owner; Anderson and Findlay, makers. Very superior, very pleasant under foot, and thoroughly wholesome ploughing •„ wonderful in so small a boy. No. 31, Wm. Lumsden, ploughman ; Lumsden Brothers, owners ; Reid and Gray, makers. At a dis advantage in an odd corner of soft ground behind the booth, but yet excellently done. Np. 32. Jas Irvine, ploughman ; R. and A. Kiddj owners ; Reid and Gray, makers. First prize lot. No. 33. A. Forbes, ploughman and owner; Reid and Gray, makers. The numbers and pegs seem to have got vito some confusion towards the end, which ai;countß for omissiona and discrepancies. Vhd amount of really first-class double-furrow v,v>rk was. greater than at any former competion we have witnessed in Southland. SINGLE-FURROW CLASS. No. 1. Wm. M'lntyre, ploughman and owner l Ponton, maker. A beautiful straight furrow, neat and firm, with excellent break and finish. No. 2. Wm. Halliday, ploughman and. owner; Reid and Gray, makers. Firm, straight, and also very but break not so nice. No. 3. Wm. Hamilton, ploughman and owner; Ponton, maker. Somewhat the same character as last (No. 2), very firm, good seed bed, and very superior. No. 4. D. Noble, ploughman ; D. Warnock, owner j Ponton, maker. Break a little deficient, and scarcely so firm as last, but yet straight and well done. No. 6. John M'lntosh, ploughman and owner ; Ponton, maker. A middling beginning, looser furrow, and not in the ploughman's best style. ' No. 6. A. Hall, ploughman and owner; Ponton, maker. Excellent work, but not coming up to the promise of the break and first furrows. N,o. 7. Thos. E[annah, ploughman ; A. Hannah, owner ; Gray and Son (Uddingston), makers. A > beautiful, even piece of ploughing, and excellent seedbed. The single-furrow class was quite up to its best form, the easily-turned and very suitable character of the lea sod enabling the competi. tors to put their " best foot foremost." The muster of spectators became towards the afternoon much greater than was anticipated. Haxton's patent harrows, which vere exhibited on the ground, were dismembered into their constituent atoms, and again reconstituted, to the evident interest of num bers of onloooking a^rioultulturists. They are a regular harrow on the web principle, and expressly suited for " helghs and hows" and i *ough ground, '