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musde-hed. or ashes. A good substratum must be laid before a good crop 

 can be expected ; and this being done, a crop may be expected on almost 

 any soil that will support other vegetables. 



If we were asked, what course is best to be pursued with land on 

 which onions have never been raised, to bring it into a condition for suc- 

 cessful cultivation of the crop ; we should say, begin by ploughing to the 

 full depth of the nutritive soil, and during the first and second years, 

 thoroughly subdue and mellow the soil by the cultivation of crops of corn 

 and carrots, with liberal dressings of manure ; then thoroughly incorporate 

 with the soil a dressing of strong manure, and muscle-bed, just covering 

 this dressing ; then harrow the surface thoroughly, and clear it of all roots, 

 weeds, or other obstructions ; then apply a coating of lively, well rotted 

 manure to the surface and bush-harrow it ; and then it will be in a condi- 

 tion to receive the seed, which is to be inserted as soon as the opening 

 of the spring will admit of its being done. 



We are aware that we make the raising of the onion dependent upon 

 severe labor and vigilant attention. We know that it cannot be success- 

 fully done without these. But it is not labor lost. No cultivation, within 

 our observation, better repays for the labor and incidental expenses. We 

 have known, the present season, acres that have yielded their owners a net 

 income of more than tioo hundred dollars; and we know that a man, with 

 two boys, can well attend to half a dozen acres of such cultivation. Surely, 

 when, as at present, there is no limit to the demand for the article, and a 

 ready cash market, those who have acres, and are willing to labor, need 

 not be in want of a fair compensation for their labor. 



As samples of the present year's produce in the town of Danvers, we 

 state the following that have come under our notice : — 



Yielding an average of more than 500 bushels to the acre. 



In the Essay on the Pear, the writer states what others 

 have done without giving but few ideas of his own. Tn his 

 directions for growing pears from seed, we have the follow- 

 ing advice : — 



The seed bed for pears should be in a rich soil, which should be trenched 

 to the depth of fourteen to eighteen inches, and the subsoil well mixed 

 with rich compost. The seed should be sown in the autumn, in wide 

 drills from two to three feet apart, to allow the passage of the cultivator 



