86 



Newbury and Newburyport, on the outskirts of the County, 

 and leaving the great central farming towns not represented. 

 The entries, though more numerous than for several years, are 

 still far below in number what we could have wished, and what 

 we have good reason to expect, when we take into account our 

 County's fame abroad as one of the largest onion, cabbage and 

 carrot growing counties in the United States. 



Unlike many of our predecessors on this Committee, who 

 have been content to examine statements only, we have visited 

 and seen all the crops, with one exception, growing upon the 

 land ; and there were never less than four of the Committee 

 present, and can truly testify that the incidents and facts elicit- 

 ed, and the appearance of the crops well repaid us for our vis- 

 its, — especially when we take into account the great drought, 

 which prevailed throughout our County, during the most impor- 

 tant part of the growing season, materially lessening the amount 

 of most of our crops ; indeed, the only crop not so effected, was 

 the crop of Early Goodridge potatoes entered by the Masters 

 Phelps, which was planted early, and the most of them harvest- 

 ed by the first of August. Had this crop been planted later, it 

 would have felt the drought more than any of the others, as 

 it was planted upon a run-out piece of land, the most of which 

 being a gravelly knoll, ploughed very shallow the previous 

 autumn, — the last spot to have selected upon which to grow a 

 crop for premium. 



The young men (who are under 18 years of age) should 

 have credit for the excellent appearance of the crop, they 

 having performed all the work done upon it ; and that for once 

 at least, there has been entered upon our records for premium, a 

 crop grown upon soil that so fairly represents in quality, a 

 large proportion of the farming lands in this County. 



The potato crop of Mr. Perkins, of Oldtown, was visited on 

 the 29th of September, — this was upon soil almost directly 

 opposite of the preceding, at least in regard to its present con- 

 dition, if not naturally so, as it had been used for onions for 

 over thirty years ; the excellent care it had, and being planted 



