ESSEX SOCIETY. 65 



growing of the onion, the town has been taxed more heavily, 

 in the loss on this crop, than in any other manner. 



2d. As to the Carrot Crop. — It is good — never better. Many 

 fields yield twenty tons and upwards to the acre. This plant 

 is extensively cultivated. Carrots readily sell per ton, at more 

 than half the price of English hay. They are thought to be a 

 sure and valuable crop. They will not do well for several 

 years in succession, on the same land. Notwithstanding the 

 drought was very severe in August and September, it affected 

 this crop very little. I have heretofore remarked upon the ben- 

 efits accruing to the land from the cultivation of the carrot, and 

 have attributed it to the deep stirring, incident thereto. 



3. As to the Beet Crop. — Some farmers have raised a very 

 good crop of the turnip beet, and esteem it a valuable product ; 

 but generally, the beet is not much cultivated ; not so much, I 

 think^ as it ought to be. I have seen a few patches of the 

 sugar beet, of limited dimensions, very well grown. 



4. As to the Potato Crop. — Potatoes are very fair in appear- 

 ance and abundant in quantity — but of doubtful character. 

 Some farmers have lost more than half their crop, within a few 

 weeks after they put them into their cellars. Others are so 

 doubtful as to the character of the potatoes, notwithstanding 

 their entire fair appearance, that they are unwilling to take 

 them to market, through fear that they will prove valueless. 

 As near as I can learn, one-half of the expected crop of pota- 

 toes in this town, the present season, will be lost. The man 

 who shall trace the true cause of this blight, and prescribe an 

 adequate remedy, will render the community a service of more 

 value, than has ever been rendered by the most successful mil- 

 itary chieftain. I have written the above, under the impres- 

 sion, that, if we could obtain, from eye-witnesses, an exact de- 

 scription of the actual state of the products in their respective 

 neighborhoods, in all the towns of the county, it would afford 

 a mass of information, when continued for several years, of 



very great utility. 



Very truly yours, 



J. W. PROCTOR. 

 To David Choate, Esq. 



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