75 



Newhall, of Dorchester, for a good collection, the second premium, 

 five dollars. G. R. Sampson, of Brookline, the third premium, 

 four dollars. Lyman Kinsley, of Canton, the fourth premium, 

 three dollars. 



The Committee recommend a gratuity of one dollar each, to E. 

 Stone of Dedham, Charles Sloan of Milton, Josiah Davenport of 

 Needham, and Asahel Newton of West Dedham, — the latter for 

 hops. Also, one dollar each, to C. C. Sewall of Medfield, and 

 Jackson Belcher of Randolph, for sweet potatoes. 



Edwin Davenport, of Milton, exhibited thirteen varieties of po- 

 tatoes — all very beautiful. He had no competitor for the pre- 

 mium of five dollars for the best collection, and the Committee are 

 unanimous in the award. 



The Committee award a premium of five dollars to Marshall 

 Stearns, of Brookline, for his crop of four hundred and sixty-four 

 bushels of Danvers onions, grown on ninety-nine rods of land — 

 (being at the rate of seven hundred and forty-two bushels per 

 acre) — a bushel of the onions was on exhibition at the hall of the 

 Society. 



]Mr. Stearns says, that " the plot of ground on which this crop 

 was grown, is nine rods wide and eleven rods long, — onions have 

 been grown on it for thirty successive years. It has always been 

 in a high state of cultivation. In the Spring it was ploughed and 

 then harrowed, then dressed with horse manure — old and fine — at 

 the rate of eight cords to the acre. It was then ploughed hghtly 

 and raked. The seed was sown with a machine at the rate of 

 three pounds to the acre, in rows fourteen inches apart. The ex- 

 pense of the crop, as nearly as can be ascertained, without includ- 

 ing the interest on the value of land, is for ploughing, three dollars, 

 seed, one dollar and eighty-seven cents, sowing, seventy-five 

 cents, cultivation, fifteen dollars, harvesting, eight dollars, manure 

 and spreading, twenty-five dollars, half of which I charge to this 

 crop, making the whole cost of the crop, exclusive of rent of land, 

 forty-one dollars and twelve cents." 



This crop was examined by the Committee, after it was pulled. 

 Others may have seen a larger crop, but we think no person ever 

 saw a better one. 



Why are not more of the farmers of Norfolk County able to 

 compete with Messrs. Ilunnewell and Stearns ? Surely not for 

 Avant of means or ability. Is it not because the eflfort is not in the 

 right direction, or because a proper effort is not made ? How 

 many men there are who plough and manure, but do not cultivate ; 

 who arc afraid to plough deep, — " it will spoil the land," — who 

 are afraid to manure highly, — " it Avill kill the crop," — who are 

 not careful in the selection of seed, in the application of manure or 

 the cultivation of their crot)S, but careful to take all from the field 



