68 ESSEX SOCIETY. 



green crop underneath. This is proved by another piece of 

 onions in the same field, cultivated and manured in the usual 

 way, where the crop was not more than two-thirds as large as 

 this. I am the more particular in describing this experiment 

 with the oats, because it has succeeded beyond my expecta- 

 tations. I have seen other fields of onions the present season, 

 where they grew to a larger size than these, and have no doubt 

 mine would have been larger, if I had put on more manure, 

 but as a whole, I have not seen any crop that I should prefer. 

 They sell at the present time for one dollar and twenty-five 

 cents per barrel, delivered in Boston. I have so long been ac- 

 customed to keep my land clear of weeds, that the labor of 

 taking care of onions is not more than twice as much as is re- 

 quired for Indian corn. 

 Danvers, Oct. 21, 1850. 



Ahrahain C. Oshorn's Statement. 



As much has been said and written on the onion crop, and 

 premiums and gratuities have been freely awarded by the Es- 

 sex Agricultural Society, for the most successful experiment in 

 the cultivation of it, I propose to lay before you the results of 

 my labor and success in the production of this crop. 



It will be necessary, in the first place, to present in minute 

 details, as near as can be ascertained, a statement of the expen- 

 ditures incurred for manure, for labor in preparing the land, sow- 

 ing the seed, — for cultivating, harvesting, and marketing the 

 crop. To the above may be added the rent of the land per 

 acre, or in other words, the interest of the actual worth of the 

 land per acre. 



I will commence my statement of expenses, by setting down 

 the rent of land per acre at fifteen dollars, which sum is no 

 more than the interest of what an acre of land is Avorth, which 

 is capable of producing a good crop of onions. Then comes 

 the expense for manure. Manure that is best adapted to pro- 

 duce a good crop, cannot be purchased short of four dollars and 

 a half per cord, and it requires no less than six cords per acre, 

 making the sum of twenty-seven dollars for the dressing, ex- 

 clusive of hauling it upon the land, which is worth one dollar 



