224 MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURE. 



ESSEX. 



Seven entries for premium were made. They have not had 

 an opportmiity of examining any of the crops at any stage of 

 their progress, not having been notified of any entries being 

 made until called together to examine the several statements 

 of the applicants for premium. They do not consider them- 

 selves as well qualified for the discharge of their duty as if they 

 had seen the crops during their growth. 



They have endeavored to examine the several statements 

 with care, and see no reason to doubt their fairness and truth, 

 as none of them exceeds what might be reasonably expected 

 on a rich soil with the best cultivation. But they are of opinion 

 that, in all like cases, a certificate of the measurement of the 

 land, and of the measure and weight of the crop, should accom- 

 pany the statement. 



Dean Robinson, Chairman. 



J. Longfellows^ Statement. 



The crop of onions which I entered for premium has now 

 been harvested, and I herewith transmit the result. From one- 

 half acre of land measured by G. W. Adams, I have taken 386|^ 

 baskets of ripe onions. I weighed six baskets, the heaviest 

 weighing fifty-nine, the lightest fifty-seven pounds, I call them 

 fifty-seven. One-half of the land has been in onions three years ; 

 the remainder one year, except about eight rods, on which 

 onions have not been sown until last spring. The crop last 

 year was very much injured by the grub worm, and considera- 

 ble of the ground was set over with cabbage. The land is a 

 dark, sandy loam, and was not ploughed at all last spring. It 

 was liberally manured with a compost of meadow muck and 

 stable manure, and about five bushels of salt and five bushels 

 of wood ashes to the acre, and well worked with the cultivator, 

 harrow and hand-rake. The seed (Danvers yellow) was sown 

 about the first of May, three and a half pounds to the acre. 

 The ashes were sown after the seed. 



I have not kept an accurate account of the cost of manure 

 and labor on this piece of land, but suppose it cost me as much 



