ESSEX SOCIETY. 25 



take in growing cranberries on meadow land. And the ques- 

 tion is, inasmuch as meadow mud is indispensable to their 

 growth, whether it is better to grow the plants on the upland, 

 and bring the mud to them, or to continue to grow them in the 

 meadow and keep the grasses clear from them. We would 

 not speak unkindly of the upland culture of the cranberry — 

 but if they are to cost five dollars a bushel on the upland, 

 and only half this sum on the meadow, we think the meadow 

 will continue to be preferred, by those who would pursue the 

 business as a self-sustainins: culture. 



Root Crops. 

 The committee have awarded the premiums as follows : — 

 To Lyman Mason, of Beverly, for his crop of cabbages, ^6 00 

 " Josiah Titcomb, of Byfield, for his crop of onions, 6 00 

 " Richard P. Waters, of Beverly, for his crop of carrots, 6 00 



An entry was made by John Bradstreet, of Danvers, for his 

 crop of potatoes. The committee regret that there was no 

 premium offered by the society, the present year, for potatoes, 

 as this crop is certainly worthy of one. It seemed to the com- 

 mittee that Mr. B.'s success in raising the potato, is owing in 

 a great measure to his thorough mode of cultivation, and in the 

 selection of seed. He plants in the old fashioned way, putting 

 a shovel full of barn-yard manure in the hill ; thinks some 

 farmers mistake in making the hills too near together, and put- 

 ting too much seed in a hill. He plants mostly his seedlings, 

 called the Danvers Reds ; thinks they do better than any other 

 kind ; has tried others the present season. We saw a part of 

 his crop while they were being dug ; they were a fine speci- 

 men, of large sound potatoes, averaging a bushel to sixteen 

 hills. 



Knowing Mr. Bradstreet to be a man of much experience 

 and observation in farming, we requested him to give us a 

 statement of his crop, and as particular an account of his mode 

 of cultivation as practicable, which statement is herewith sub- 

 mitted. 



LEWIS ALLEN, Chairman. 

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