ROOT CROPS. 207 



Statement of Benjamin Huntington. 



I take the liberty of presenting to your notice a statement 

 of the culture and product of one-half acre of ground, on which 

 onions were raised the present season. The land is situated 

 in the south-easterly part of Danvers, near Gardner's farm. It 

 was formerly a part of Whittredge's orchard, a few of the trees 

 remaining. It is a strong dark-colored soil, and has always 

 borne good crops of whatever was put upon it. It has some- 

 times been in grass, and at other times under culture. The 

 entire piece on which onions were planted contained about 

 two acres. I had gathered five hundred and fifty bushels 

 when it was suggested to me by a gentleman long interested in 

 your society that I had better measure exactly the amount 

 grown on half an acre. Accordingly I selected a square piece, 

 and had one half acre measured off by Joshua Buxton, Jr., a 

 competent surveyor. From this I gathered three hundred and 

 seventy-nine bushel baskets full, as they were sorted and 

 cleaned for the market. I have no doubt they would have 

 measured four hundred bushels as usually shovelled from a pile 

 together. The onions were large and plump, and as fair look- 

 ing as I ever saw. The seed I raised myself. I applied about 

 six cords of well-rotted stable manure to the acre ; sowed in 

 rows fourteen inches apart and kept the ground clear of weeds. 

 On one corner of the field the trees impeded the growth of the 

 crop considerably. There may have been superior crops in 

 this neighborhood, but I have never seen one that I thought 

 was better. 



Danyeks, October 1, 1854. 



Statement of James Manning. 



I have this season planted on the field belonging to Messrs. 

 Sanders and Roberts, in Hamilton, one and one-tenth acres with 

 carrot seed. I sowed one and a half pounds of seed. The 

 land is low and level ; for three or four years past it has had 

 but little manure; but this season I spread on about three 

 cords of horse manure and ploughed it in. Value of manure, 



