ROOT CROPS AND VEGETABLES. 189 



ROOT CROPS AND VEGETABLES. 



ESSEX. 



From the Report of the Committee. 



Onions. — The statement made by Benjamin Huntington witli 

 regard to his onion crop, containing certificates of survey and 

 measurement, liaving been mislaid, the committee would report 

 the facts laid before them. The land measured three-fourths of 

 an acre, and has been used for onion crops for the last twenty 

 years. Last year the crop was nearly destroyed by the maggot. 



The land was fall-ploughed, and was again ploughed in the 

 spring. It was manured with four cords of stable manure. It 

 was seeded on the 20th of April, three pounds of seed being 

 used on the piece, or four pounds to the acre. 



The expense of ploughing, manuring, seeding, hoeing, clean- 

 ing, setting traps for the fly, and harvesting, was $94. The 

 crop was 625 bushels, 50 pounds to the bushel. The crop sold 

 for $343.75, leaving a net profit of 8249.75. 



The variety was the Danvers onion, and the size was large 

 and uniform. 



To this statement of Mr. Huntington's we subjoin that of 

 Hanson Ordway, of West Newbury. 



Statement of Mr. Ordway. 



Onions. — The crop of onions I present for premium was raised 

 on one-half an acre of land, — being a portion of the same on 

 which was grown the crop of corn for which I received a gra- 

 tuity of ten dollars the last year, — and has been cultivated as 

 follows : Last fall two and one-half cords of barnyard manure 

 were spread on and ploughed in five inches deep ; last spring 

 one hundred bushels leached ashes were spread on ; the ground 

 was cultivated one way with a horse-cultivator, and harrowed 

 both ways, after which it was raked, and sown with two pounds 

 of Danvers seed on the 7th of May. The crop received three 

 hoeings and weedings, and when harvested was perfectly ripe 

 and sound. The crop was sold for one cent per pound, and 

 weighed twenty-three thousand one hundred and forty pounds, 

 making four hundred and sixty-two bushels and forty pounds. 



