ROOT CROPS. 245 



that of the apple, I presume the charge would be as reasonable 

 against one as the other. 



As regards the cultivation of the tomato, this is so generally- 

 understood that hardly more than a remark is required under 

 this head. The tomato will not grow in the open air before 

 the ground has become warm, and all planting earlier than this 

 serves but to injure the plant. They are oftentimes started too 

 early in hot beds, and because overgrown, are spindling before 

 they can be transplanted out into the open air. I would not 

 advise to plant the seed under glass earlier than April 1st, nor 

 to transplant it into the open ground earlier than May 20th. 

 Those planted for an early crop should be put in ground not 

 very rich. 



James J. H. Gregory, Chairman. 



BOOT CEOPS. 



ESSEX. 



From the Report of the Committee. 



The crop of potatoes by Mr. Winkley was one of the new 

 varieties, raised by Mr. Albert Bresee,of Vermont; and known 

 as No. 6, or Peerless. This crop, as will be seen in the accom- 

 panying report, was enormous, being at the rate of nearly 422 

 bushels to the acre. In yield, No. 6 is fully equal to the famous 

 Harrison, while in quality it is much superior ; though hardly 

 equal, I think, to its elder brother, the Early Rose. It is re- 

 markable that so heavy a crop should be grown with only the 

 residue of the manure left by the crop of the previous year, to 

 feed on ; perhaps this may suggest an improvement over our 

 usual way of manuring the same season we plant, when we have 

 a strong clay loam to deal with ; which, as we all know, is very 

 retentive of manure. Perhaps our usual method gives us too 

 much top to the sacrifice of tubers. 



In the footing up of expenses, friend Winkley makes the 

 usual error of underestimating his labor. As a farmer I should 

 be loth to take the contract of giving a crop on 128 rods the 

 two hoeings and accompanying weedings it would require, for a 



