23 
keep an account of the time put in at the asparagus. I should estimate the cost per 
acre as follows: 

Manuice.(spplied im the.epring)....92...2. 2s. en.2. cece see ce $25. 00 
Meriinmer (appned aiter.cutting): -....-.2.-- +2 --~=----2------ 15. 00 
Gabor, plowing, cultivating, heeme, etc. ...-.--...--.--------- 20. 00 
MEP ME PUNeMInp Ys <- s- 2252250: a5 (pS Oence sae a oe 40. 00 
ROT Rae Ne Nee See oa acne ae ae Lk ASS 100. 00 
A bed well established, say five years after planting, when well cared for should 
for the next ten or fifteen years yield from 1,800 to 2,000 bunches per annum, or at 
10 cents per bunch (factory price), $180 or $200. 
This agrees very closely with the actual figures of the yield and 
receipts of another New Jersey grower who in 1896 cut 22,584 bunches 
from 12 acres, all of which were not in full bearing, or 1,882 bunches 
per acre, and received $2,611 net returns from commission houses, or a 
fraction over 11 cents per bunch. Of course those getting higher 
prices or larger yields will exceed this, but it is a fair average for 
those who sell on commission or to canneries. 
The cost of good 1-year-old plants ought not to be over $4 per 
thousand, and it requires from 1,800 to 3,600 to fill an acre, depending 
upon the distance between plants; perhaps 2,500 would be a fair num- 
ber, allowing surplus plants to fill missing hills, or $10 per acre. The 
plants can be grown from the seed for half that sum, if that plan be 
preferred. . 
The cost of establishing a bed can be somewhat reduced by planting 
for the first two or three years some early garden crop between the 
rows, such as potatoes, peas, beets, onions, strawberries, etc., for as 
the roots are as yet not occupying all the ground there will be no injury 
to the plants, and the manure and cultivation necessary for the young 
asparagus will be sufficient for the other crop, hence the receipts for it 
will be almost entirely net, and yield at least the returns of ‘‘a half 
crop.” 
The estimate above calls for an annual expenditure of $40 per acre 
for fertilizer and manure, which is a liberal allowance; another esti- 
mate requires 2,000 pounds per acre of a mixture containing 400 pounds 
of muriate of potash, 1,100 pounds acid phosphate, and 500 pounds of 
nitrate of soda, which at market prices can be secured for less than 
the above sum. 
HARVESTING AND MARKETING. 
Asparagus is one of the earliest vegetables, especially if the roots 
are near to the surface or the soil above them has been temporarily 
removed so that the rays of the sun can easily penetrate to them. 
Some varieties are earlier than others, and this difference in time of 
appearance varies from a day or two to several weeks. For instance, 
the Early Argenteuil is about ten days earlier than the ordinary aspara- 
gus grown in the same locality, and the Late Argenteuil at least ten 
days later; so that there would be nearly three weeks between the 
