132 MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURE. 



Statement of Charles L. Perkins. 

 Potatoes. — The land upon which the potatoes which I oflfer 

 were grown, is a dark, gravelly, loamy soil ; has been planted 

 with onions the last thirty years, with the exception of last year 

 when it was planted with Swedes turnip. The piece of ground 

 contains one hundred and eighteen rods, was manured the first 

 week in May with three cords of barnyard manure, ploughed 

 seven inches deep, harrowed with an iron tooth harrow and 

 brushed twice over with a brush harrow, drilled three feet apart 

 and planted with three barrels of Harrison potatoes. The seed 

 potatoes were cut, and two small pieces, or one large piece put 

 in a hill. The expense of cultivating, as near as I can estimate 

 was: — 



For hauling and spreading manure, .... 

 Ploughing, harrowing and drilling, ..... 

 Planting $1.50 ; cultivating and hoeing twice, 15, 

 Harvesting, ........ 



123 50 



For some cause, perhaps owing to the drought in July and 

 August, the tubers formed on the joints of the vines, thus re- 

 ducing the crop considerably. Tlie hills, where the potatoes 

 formed on the vines, outside of the hills, did not yield more 

 than half as much as the hills where the potatoes formed inside. 

 The potatoes weighed 18,172 pounds ; at sixty pounds to the 

 bushel, there is three hundred and two bushels and fifty-two 

 pounds. 



Statement of Paul Hsley. 

 Onions. — The crop of onions which I enter for consideration 

 was grown upon a soil of gravelly loam, the land sloping slightly 

 towards the south-east. The crop the year previous was onions. 

 I ploughed in the fall, turning under about seven cords of barn- 

 yard manure, to the acre. Manure composed largely of salt 

 marsh muck. I sowed, about the 25th of April, in drills, thir- 

 teen or fourteen inches apart, about three and one-half pounds of 

 seed to the acre. In cultivating, use the wheel hoe, going over the 

 ground seven or eight times, and weed thoroughly four times. 

 The crop this year was pulled the middle of September, and 



