278 



MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURE. 



seven cords of compost were ploughed into this half acre, and 

 onions sown ; the crop was little short of 200 bushels. Four- 

 teen dozen cabbages also grew where the onions were eaten by 

 maggots. Last spring it was dressed with five cords of compost. 

 This was prepared by mixing with three cords of marsh mud 

 and earth from the margin of the field, (near an old wall,) in 

 about equal proportions, — one and a half cords of cattle manure 

 and half a cord of fresh horse manure. It was very carefully 

 mixed, and made perfectly fine. The horse manure was used 

 to produce fermentation. As soon as the heap was hot, it 

 was spread evenly, and ploughed in five inches deep as fast as 

 spread. It was made fine as possible with a harrow and hand- 

 rake, and sown with Danvers seed, (two pounds,) on the 8th 

 and llith of May. The ground was weeded four times. The 

 onions were of remarkable uniformity of size, ripe and of good 

 quality. The land is a fine loam of fair quality. 

 The cost of cultivation, partly by estimation : — 



Ploughing, 



Harrowing and raking, 



Sowing, 



Weeding, 



Harvesting, . 



Seed, 



Eive cords manure, 



^34 25 



The onions, at a cent a pound, are worth •$164:.25. Profit, 

 $100. 



Newbuiiy, NovemLer 11, 1856. 



Statement of Epliraim Brown. 



Carrots. — I herewith submit a statement of the following 

 crop of carrots on one-half acre : — 



The land on which the carrots were raised this season, (185G,) 

 was planted three years in succession, first with squashes, then 

 with cabbages, and the last with potatoes. It has been manured 

 each year with a compost of rotten kelp and barn manure, say 



