94 



Mr. David Warren, of Swampscott, was called upon next 

 in order by your committee. He planted the Essex Hybrid 

 squash seed, three or four seeds in the hill upon land 

 planted in 1885 with cabbage, and in 1886 with potatoes. 



No extravagant amount of dressing per acre was used. 

 Eight cords stable manure to acre. The crop was highly 

 satisfactory, and this was entered for premium. 



It is to be regretted by some of the committee as in other 

 cases that they could not have the pleasure of seeing the 

 crop for themselves. 



Mr. James P. King, the last on the list of competitors, 

 called the committee to see a crop of turnips which was 

 raised by him on one of the high points of land in Peabody. 

 The crop was produced upon ground which never felt the 

 point of a plough until the year 1886. It had been an old 

 stony pasture, and was cleared up and planted last year for 

 the first time. Corn being the crop, Commercial Fertilizer 

 only being used as dressing. The crop of turnips this year 

 upon the same ground moderately dressed with compost, 

 was a very handsome one. 



The plants were from planted seed equidistant from each 

 other, and with rarely a bare spot in any of the rows. 

 There was nearly an acre and one-third in the entire piece, 

 and scarcely a place which might not have been taken for 

 a sample spot. 



Your committee pronounce this one of the finest and 

 smoothest lots of Ruta Bagas seen for many seasons. 



This and the onion crop of Mr. George, of Methuen, have 

 shown to your committee that some of the best conducted 

 experiments in our root crops have been made upon lands 

 (both high and low) which have been long unused. There 

 are many such acres in Essex county which are themselves 

 a mine of wealth ; but will yield it only to thought and 

 persistent effort. 



