56 THREE ACRES AND LIBERTY 



"In the market-gardens of Florida we see such crops as 

 445 to 600 bushels of onions per acre, 400 bushels of to- 

 matoes, 700 bushels of sweet potatoes; which testify to a 

 high development of culture." (Same, page 101.) 



We select from Bailey's "Principles of Vegetable Garden- 

 ing " the following general estimates : 



Beets Average crop is 300-400 bushels per acre. 



Carrots Good crop is 200-300 bushels per acre. 



Cabbage 8000 heads per acre. 



Potatoes The yield of potatoes averages about 75 

 bushels per acre, but with forethought and good tillage and 

 some fertilizer the yield should run from 200 to 300 bushels, 

 and occasionally yields will much exceed the latter figure. 



Rhubarb From 2 to 5 stalks are tied in a bunch for mar- 

 ket, and an acre should produce 3000 dozen bunches. 



Salsify Good crop 200-300 bushels per acre. 



Onions A good crop of onions is 300-400 bushels to the 

 acre, but 600-800 are secured under the very best conditions. 



The price per ton for horseradish varies from ten to fifty 

 dollars, and from two to four tons should be raised on an 

 acre, the latter quantity when the ground is deep and rich 

 and when the plants do not suffer for moisture. 



Averages are very misleading and it would be better to 

 pay little attention to them. They are like the average 

 wealth possessed by a class of twenty schoolchildren. The 

 schoolmaster who had $20 asked what was the average 

 wealth of each, if the total wealth of the class was $20. The 

 brightest boy answered, "One dollar." The schoolmaster 

 asked Tommy at the foot of the class if he did not think they 

 would be a prosperous class. He answered, " It depends on 

 who has the 'twenty.'" 



But, all the more, good averages imply some wonderful 



