104 ON ROOT CROPS. 



condensing the facts necessary to guide in this cultivation. 

 Tlie committee saw the crops mentioned in these statements 

 in the field, as well as those of many other cultivators, and 

 have entire confidence that the facts stated in relation thereto, 

 are worthy of entire reliance. The onion crop in this vicinity 

 was never better than the present year — yielding from one and 

 a half to three hundred barrels per acre, of a value not less than 

 one dollar per barrel. When it is taken into view that the 

 land, labor, and expense of this cultivation can be fairly met 

 for one hundred dollars an acre, it must be apparent that labor 

 thus applied is well rewarded. We are aware that some culti- 

 vators are inclined to underrate their crops and overrate their 

 labor, — possibly that they may continue to monopolize the 

 benefits. The committee have no such feeling. They know 

 that in some seasons there are blights that cut the crop off en- 

 tirely, but generally it is otherwise, and they still speak with 

 confidence in favor of this crop. 



The largest produce reported to them, was that of Lyman 

 Mason, of Beverly, six hundred and sixty-nine bushels on one 

 hundred and thirty rods of land, or four and three eighths bush- 

 els per rod. The next largest produce reported to them, was 

 that of Daniel Buxton, Jr., of Danvers, four hundred and forty- 

 eight bushels on one hundred and five rods of land, or four and 

 two eighths bushels per rod. The next, by Mr. Proctor, of 

 Danvers, four bushels per rod. Mr, King, Mr Bnshby, Mr. 

 Griffin, and several others, in Danvers, whose fields they saw, 

 raised about this amount. Taking all things into view, they 

 saw no crop equal to that of Daniel Buxton, Jr., and therefore 

 they award to him the Society's premium, " for the best con- 

 ducted experiment in the raising of onions," six dollars. 



As to the cultivation of the carrot, the committee have 

 been disappointed in their expectations. They had hoped to 

 have ascertained some facts, tending to settle some questions, 

 on which there appears to be a difference of opinion. Such 

 as, whether or not, the carrot can be advantageously cultivat- 

 ed several years in succession, on the same land ? It is said, 

 by the best authority in the county of Worcester, that it has 

 been so cultivated seven years successively, with good crops. 



