62 REPOET OF COMMITTEE. 



or two ; apply this compost in the hills or drills at the rate of four 

 or five casks per acre, using care to throw a small quantity of 

 earth upon the seed before applying the compost. This has been 

 found a valuable manure, costing only five-eighths as much as 

 that of super-phosphate the best now in use, and producing quite 

 as good results. As all fertilizers act quickly upon plants, com- 

 pared with barn manure, it is plain that the whole quantity should 

 not be applied at once or at the time of planting, but one-half 

 at the time of depositing the seed, and the remainder at the first 

 and second hoeings, thus keeping the crop constantly supplied 

 with plant food during its growth. 



To grow a heavy crop of potatoes at the present high price 

 of land already denuded of its humus, together with the high 

 prices of poor labor, it is necessary that all requisitions should be 

 fulfilled ; that is, we can't gather grapes from thorns, nor good 

 potatoes from a dry, hungry soil without special care. We re- 

 member, when boys and living in Vermont, about sixty years ago, 

 it was not uncommon for farmers to grow from three to four hun- 

 dred bushels to the acre ; now it is well known that half that 

 amount is more than an average yield on the same ground. 



This great falling off in quantity can not be attributed to run- 

 ning out of varieties, for varieties are yet extant that have not 

 passed their prime, neither can it be caused by disease, for dis- 

 ease does not occur every year, nor does it enter every field ; it 

 may be traceable mainly to poverty in the soil in certain ingredi- 

 ents, or in other words the soil is partially denuded of its humus. 

 Now it is suggested that if one will plant on comparatively dry, 

 suitable soil enriched with leaves, sea weed, or in plowing in green 

 crops till the soil is filled to a proper depth with vegetable matter, 

 he will find that the potato can yet be grown in Worcester North in 

 full vigor and usefulness. The skinning process so often alluded to 

 by taking from the soil all that is possible to take, and returning 

 nothing to it again is a ruinous operation to the farm, as well as 

 to the owner. 



ONIONS. 



As a general rule, any soil well adapted to the growth of In- 

 dian corn, is well suited to the onion. Lands that slope in any 

 direction, should never be selected, as great injury is liable to be 

 done in spring-time, by washing the seed or young roots from their 

 bed ; therefore fields nearly level should be chosen ; lands abound- 



