3 FEBRUARY 1906, Page 16

PLOUGHING MATCHES.

[To THE EDITOR OP THE osesersToRm

Sra,—Will you kindly give publicity in your columns to a movement that is now being instituted, to induce farmers to work their horses without hame-reins and blinkers? It is suggested that at ploughing matches the Committee should offer a pair of open cart-bridles as a prize for the best team ploughing this year without hame-reins, and that next year competitors' teams, in addition to ploughing without hame- reins, should wear open bridles. Carters can practise their teams in riding bridles. This plan has been a great success in several places, and only requires to become better known to be more generally adopted. It is hoped that landowners will set the example on their home farms and encourage their tenants to follow it, and also that breeders of heavy draught horses will have their young stock broken to open bridles.