Asparagus 1 Is 1 



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. 



