1850. 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
401 
at very low prices, over the northern and eastern 
sections of the country , and to the Canadas. Plums 
were not equal to a medium crop. Grapes, except 
in warm soils and sheltered situations, have failed to 
ripen well, from want of clear, hot weather towards 
the close of the season. 
The weather, during autumn, has been generally 
mild, with occasional moderate rains. The latter 
half of September was, for the most part, unseason¬ 
ably cold, but with only one or two frosts, and even 
up to the first of November there has been less frost 
than there often is before the first of October. The 
ground has been frozen but two or three nights. 
The leaves have fallen from the trees, from their 
having died a “natural death' 7 —they had fulfilled 
their office, and were no longer needed. The au¬ 
tumnal hues of our forests have been splendid indeed, 
and with the rich green of our pastures and mea¬ 
dows, and the mellow atmosphere of the “Indian 
summer,” our landscape scenery has possessed high 
attractions for those who can appreciate the beau¬ 
ties of nature. 
Culture of the Onion. 
Eds. Cultivator —My little girl, who feels a 
common interest in the cause we are all laboring to 
promote, has favored me with the annexed copy of 
a statement by a worthy and intelligent cultivator 
in this town, which I forward, to be used at your 
discretion. It shows a net profit of about one dol¬ 
lar to each square rod cultivated, which is doing 
quite well for a yankee soil. I saw the crop in the 
field, and after it was gathered, and have full con¬ 
fidence in the accuracy of all that is said. 
If I do not mistake, Mr. B 7 s manner of prepar¬ 
ing his land ; of raising hisseed; of pulverizing and 
applying his manures; of keeping his ground en¬ 
tirely free of weeds; of careful attention that every 
movement shall be made at the best time and in the 
best manner, affords instructive lessons for the cul¬ 
tivation of other vegetables as well as onions. I 
know not whether much attention is given to this 
crop in your region, but this I have observed for a 
number of years, no labor upon the soil in this 
neighborhood is more liberally rewarded, than that 
which is applied to this culture. The demand seems 
to increase with the growth, so that notwithstand¬ 
ing the products have quadrupled, all are readily 
sold from 35 to 45 cents the bushel, according to 
quality. 
Our cultivators of late are very partial to the use 
of the side hill plow, even upon their plain lands, 
because it leaves them free of all back furrow 
r idges, and dead furrow hollows, and as they think, 
in lighter and better condition. The old notion 
of plowing shallow and keeping the hard land for 
the raising of the onion is exploded; it being found 
that deep plowing is equally serviceable in this, as 
in most other crops. 
Particularly do they find that the bulk of the 
manure applied should be well covered and inter¬ 
mingled with the earth; and that much stirring of 
the soil lias a highly favorable influence on the 
growing crop. But I forbear to multiply my own 
remarks, my purpose being simply to give you the 
practical results of the hafd hands themselves. 
Very respectfully and truly yours, J. W. Proctor. 
Nov. 8, 1850. 
Statement of Mr. Buxton. 
To the Committee on Root Crops:-— I find the 
piece of land, planted with onions, to which I asked 
your attention, to contain one hundred and five poles, 
and to have produced the present season four hun¬ 
dred and forty-eight bushels of onions fit for the 
market ; being about three and one-third bushels to 
the square rod. The onions were not extraordinary 
large, but were remarkable for uniformity of size, 
and excellence of quality. They are as handsome 
as any I ever raised. They are of the species called 
silver skin. They are thick and plump, which form 
has been produced by careful attention in selecting 
such for seed for several years; I raise my own seed, 
and am particular to set only such for this purpose 
as I wish to raise. I find, in this way, that their 
form can be modified as I wish. 
The land on which they grew is part of a field 
of 33 acres, on Collins plains, a light soil free of 
stone. For the last ten years it has been under 
good cultivation, and freely manured,—most of the 
time this parcel has yielded onions. Barn manure, 
compost, ashes, and musclebed have been the prin¬ 
cipal applications. Ordinarily when we plant onions 
we apply 5 or 6 cords of manure, to the acre. In 
1849, finding the crop to have failed on this piece, 
yielding short of 300 bushels to the acre; I thought 
it needed some other nutriment, and as soon as the 
crop was gathered I sowed it with oats, using a 
cultivator to cover them. These grew luxuriantly, 
and late in the fall, just as the ground was about 
to freeze, I turned them under, using a side hill 
plough, running the furrows about eight inches deep. 
The entire crop was buried by the furrow and so 
laid until spring. On examining it then I found the 
oats as sound as when turned in; consequently I 
could not plow the land. I went over several times 
with a cultivator, and then applied a moderate 
dressing of manure from my hog yard to the surface* 
say about two and a half cords to the lot, and 
mingled it with the soil as well as I could, taking 
care to remove all obstruction to the even distribu¬ 
tion of the seed; and then planted with a machine 
in the usual way. It came up evenly and grew well 
through the season, being kept entirely clear of 
weeds. The appearance of the plants through the 
season was uncommonly good—manifestly deriving 
much aid and support from the decaying green crop 
underneath. This is proved by another piece of 
onions in the same field, cultivated and manured in 
the usual way, where the crop was not more than 
two thirds as large as this. I am the more parti¬ 
cular in describing this experiment with the oats, 
because it has succeeded beyond my expectations. 
I have seen other fields of onions where they grew 
to a larger size than these, and have no doubt mine 
would have been larger, if I had put on more 
manure, but as a whole I have never seen a hand¬ 
somer yield. They sell at the present time for 
$1.25 per barrel delivered in Boston. I have so 
long been accustomed to keep my land clear of 
weeds, that the labor of taking care of onions is 
not more than twice as much as is required for 
indian corn. I had no thought of offering this crop 
for premium until requested so to do. If this plain 
statement of facts shall be thought worthy of your 
notice, I shall feel much gratified. Daniel Buxton. 
Danvers, Mass., Oct. 21st, 1850. 
Capons. 
Professor Dick, a distinguished veterinarian oJ 
Edinburgh, gives in the North British Agricultur 
ist, the following directions for caponising fowls: 
Select a young cock—say from three to six months 
old, keep him fasting for 24 hours—let an assistant 
hold him on his back, and then make a transverse 
incision at the posterior end of the sternum (breast 
