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22 COMMON SENSE 
so deep and clear that ice was a wholly unnecessary luxury, even 
for the care of milk and butter. 
As regards the area that was covered by the several divisions 
which I have described, it was about as follows: The house, 
garden, drive, barns and barnyard covered about two acres; the 
Jawn about an acre and a half; the orchard about half an acre, 
and about two acres were occupied by shrubbery and barren ground. 
This left the paddock of three acres and about three acres more of 
good tillable land. ‘The question now was, “What can I do 
with it?” 
My first thoughts ran to the raising of “truck,” as it is called, 
and I studied several works which professed to give the detailed 
experience of men who had made money in this business. I con- 
cluded that I had about three available acres, the rest being 
required for the support of the horse, cow, etc. What crop should 
I raise? My object was not + much to establish a highly profit- 
able business as to clear a certats mount—say $1,000 per year— 
with certainty, and without an immense amount of labor and care. 
On reading the books alluded to, I found that in the hands of 
skilful gardeners, in the neighborhood of our large cities, a single 
acre was quite sufficient to yield this amount as profit. Neverthe- 
less, I doubted my own ability to succeed in such an attempt. 
True, I had had some experience in gardening, but not as a busi- 
ness, and while I had no doubt about my succeeding in raising fair 
crops, yet whether I could do it and make it fay was another ques- 
tion, The raising of cabbages was carried on quite extensively in 
the neighborhood, and at a good profit, as the land seemed to suit 
them, and plenty of manure could be had by the car load; carrots, 
celery, cauliflower and on? or two others generally commanded 
good prices, and when not saleable in our market could be sent to 
the city, where the demand was always good. Asparagus struck 
me most favorably, and I determined to put out at least one acre 
of this plant at any rate. I knew by my own experience that 
asparagus always commanded a high price, and even if the general 
“demand fell off, good bunches would always sell well. The city 
*would always take all I could raise, and after the first work of start. 
