50 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



farmers raise their own seeds. Care must be taken that the 

 varieties do not mix. Cabbages could be raised successfully 

 and at a profit, for from |20 to $25 per ton. A young man in his 

 county who had recently engaged in market gardening, had grown 

 the past year one acre of cabbages, the heads from which weighed 

 from twenty to twenty-five pounds each, after the head had been 

 trimmed. The variety was a new one, imported from Germany. 

 He had raised last year a new variety of onion known as the 

 " Multiplier " — not the potato onion — a variety that multiplies at 

 the root ; from the root of one five will grow. They are of large 

 size, and ready for use early in July. It is a valuable market 

 variety, there being no difficulty in keeping it through the winter, 

 as its storing qualities are equal to potatoes. It differs from the 

 potato onion in being larger, and never grow more than five, 

 usually three from one onion, while the potato onion often 

 multiplies to ton or twelve small onions. In regard to cabbages, 

 he thought the Winningstadt the best variety. It is early, does 

 not cook quite so quickly as some other sorts, but when cooked is 

 remarkably sweet and delicate. 



Mr. L. Chamberlain said onions could be successfully grown 

 from the seed if the ground was preijared, and the seed sown in 

 the fall. An application of hen manui^e he believed to be a sure 

 preventive of the onion maggot. Before planting his seed he 

 turns boiling water upon it, and lets the seed soak twenty-four 

 hours. 



Mr. Wasson alluded to the importance of good seed, and the 

 introduction of destructive insects by seeds imported from other 

 places. The eggs of insects destructive to the plants in which 

 they are found, are sometimes obtained with seed procured from 

 abroad, and hence the presence of many kinds of new insects 

 among us. The safest way was to turn scalding water upon all 

 seeds, as recommended by the member from Piscataquis. The 

 seed however should not remain long in so hot water. 



Mr. Goodale, who last year distributed seed of the Keyes' Early 

 Tomato among the members, inquired in regard to their ripening 

 and yield with those who had tried them. Mr. Putnam thought it 

 about two weeks earlier than the other kinds ; Mr. Wilder said it 

 was not earlier than the varieties previously cultivated although 

 they did not rot like other sorts ; Mr. Stackpole said they 

 were not earlier than the Round Smooth Rod, but yielded better. 

 Mr. Stackpole spoke at some length upon the general subject, 



