BOOT CROPS. 121 



ROOT CROPS. 



Considering that the society offered the liberal sum of one hun- 

 dred dollars for Root Crops, the committee were not a little sur- 

 prised to find only two entries for the premiums, and they regret 

 that so little interest has been manifested in this all important 

 branch of agriculture. The committee hope to hear a better 

 report another year from the farmers of Essex, who have heretofore 

 won golden opinions for their success and skill in '"'• extracting roots.'''' 



The committee would recommend that the premium of ^10.00 

 be awarded to John Peaslee, of South Danvers, for his crop of 

 carrots, the product being 17 tons and 400 lbs. on one-half an acre 

 of land. 



The would also recommend that the premium of ^10.00 be 

 awarded to Paul T. Winkley, of Newburyport, for his crop of ruta 

 bagas, the product being 334 bushels on 90 rods of land. 



JOSIAH CROSBY, Chairman. 



JOHN PEASLEE' S STATEMENT. 



I offer for premium the product of half an acre of land, situate 

 in the North Fields (so called) of South Danvers, on the margin 

 of Water's River, cultivated the present season with carrots. I 

 gathered therefrom 17 tons 400 lbs., as weighed at the town scales, 

 the certificate of which weight are herewith presented. The land 

 is a strong, hard soil. For two years next previous cabbages have 

 been grown thereon. It has been manured, as I usually manure 

 my land, not sparingly. I early learned that the feed of a mother- 

 in-law was not likely to make a good return. He that by his 

 crops would thrive, must spare no effort to keep them alive, — and 

 nothing is better adapted to this end than an abundance of appro- 

 priate fertilizers. I find the entire piece on which the carrots 

 grew, is a few rods short of half an acre — the exact measurement 

 is fixed *y the certificate of Joshua Buxton, jr., a competent sur- 

 veyor, hereto annexed. My land was ploughed to the depth of 



ten inches, and was covered over with a full coating of muscle bed, 

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