Asparagus 1481 
INSECTS 
Nothing that I know of can be done for the beetle during the 
cutting season. All that can be done is to destroy the breeding 
stock the season before. This can be accomplished by spraying 
the foliage with arsenate of lead paste, 6 pounds to 50 gallons of 
water, with a heavy pressure. This may seem strong but less 
will not kill all old bugs. It is very important that the beetle 
and larvae be kept from young planted fields; they will soon 
damage it beyond recovery if left unmolested. 
HARVESTING AND MARKETING 
In this section white and half “ green grass” is produced. The 
difference between the two is that one is cut as soon as it appears 
above ground, while the other is allowed to grow to five or six 
inches in height before cutting. 
It will be readily seen that if white “ grass” is to be cut there 
must be sufficient soil over the crowns to permit the knife to be 
thrust down deep enough to cut the shoot at marketable length, 
which is about nine inches. Hence we ridge, using an implement 
made for the purpose that piles the soil on top of the row and 
smoothes it off. For all green grass this need not be done. 
Cutting is done every other morning until the weather becomes 
warm, when it may have to be cut daily. The “ grass” as cut is 
taken to the packing shed and washed, when it is ready for the 
girls or women to bunch it. We make only two grades, primes 
and culls. The cut of the day is shipped in the late afternoon to 
the city, arriving there about midnight. Growers ship to New 
York City, Brooklyn and Newark depending on the market in 
each place. The “grass” is sold by commission men the follow- 
ing morning, the price ranging from $1.00 to $4.00 per dozen 
bunches according to supply and demand. 
We read of wonderful yields so far as bunches are concerned, 
but 2,000 bunches of 3 pounds each or more is the exception not 
the rule. The yield is more frequently 1,500 bunches. The 
season of 1913 was very good, while that of 1914 was very poor, 
prices were low and the supply was greater than the demand. 
Thus it changes. While there is no bonanza in asparagus culture 
yet it pays those who know how to grow it. 
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