28 ESSEX SOCIETY. 



claimants, all of Danvers, with minute statements of their 

 methods of cultivating onions, and of their products the present 

 year. 



In addition to the information thus derived, and in compliance 

 with the wish expressed at the time of their appointment, your 

 committee have spared no pains, by personal examination of 

 fields under culture, through the season, and by inquiry of those 

 best informed on the subject, to become thoroughly acquainted 

 with this branch of culture. And although they do not wish or 

 expect every owner of land to become a cultivator of onions ; 

 and do not believe that all have the skill, industry and perse- 

 verance necessary to success, if they should attempt it ; still they 

 are not aware of any other use of land that affords a better re- 

 ward for the labor applied, unless it may be the cultivation of 

 some fruits and garden vegetables, in the immediate vicinity of 

 large markets, such as straicberries, asparagus, celery, &c, for 

 which the demand is limited, and which must necessarily be 

 distributed and consumed at the time. 



The general result of our inquiries is, that the average yield 

 of onions in the town of Danvers the present year (where at 

 least two hundred acres have been cultivated) is one hundred 

 and eighty barrels, or from four to five hundred bushels per acre. 

 The average value, for several successive years, has been one 

 dollar per barrel. The present year, the best kinds have com- 

 manded in the market, one dollar and a quarter per barrel. The 

 average cost of dressing and cultivating an acre of land with 

 onions, does not exceed seventy -five dollars — leaving a net in- 

 come, for the use of the land, of at least one hundred dollars per 

 acre. 



When the committee sat down to their repast, they were not 

 a little annoyed with the apprehension, that it might be any 

 thing but agreeable, inasmuch as nothing but onions were then 

 presented. But they are happy in being relieved of these ap- 

 prehensions, before it was too late, by there being brought in 

 several dishes of carrots, well prepared, which, on examina- 

 tion, were found to be of the very best quality. Mr. Ware's 

 crop, on nearly one acre, is at the rate of thirty-five and a 

 quarter tons to the acre. Mr. Bushby's crop, on more than 

 half an acre, is at the rate of thirty-two and one third tons to 



