306 
THE AMERICAN GARDEN. 
December, 
' HOBS LABaS FBOFIIS. 
Sow §1^492,32 net profits per acre were made 
BY THEO. F. BAKBB. 
President S’. J. State SorticuUural Society. 
Noticing that the correctness of the state¬ 
ment of The American Garden that from 
$500 to §1,000 profit per acre could be made 
in gardening, has been questioned by cer¬ 
tain parties, I wish to endorse the “Gar¬ 
den’s” statement most emphatically, and am 
ready to furnish convincing proof thereof. 
Such profits are, of course, not claimed, nor 
can they be produced, from every acre of a 
large farm; market gardeners do not gener¬ 
ally measure their gardens by the hundred 
acres; bnt cultivate their choicest lauds in 
small plats according to the demands of the 
markets. With judicious management, ap¬ 
plication of the proper elements for plant 
food, and thorough cultivation nith hands 
and brains, market gardening can and 
does produce crops that will net a profit of 
even more than the sums named by The 
American Garden, as will be seen by the 
account below of the expenses and receipts 
from one-eighth acre cultivated this year. 
Ci.—First Crop. 
4163 bun. of Onions at Sc per bun. 
$124.39 
2-293 head Lettuce at 4o per head 
91.92 
67S “ ** “ 3c 
17.37 
83 “ " “ 2c “ 
1.64 
- $-235.32 
Second Crop, 
15 baskets of Caudiflower at §1 
$15.00 
50 head at 10c per head 
5.00 - 
- $-20.00 
41 bsk. Peppers at 35c per bsk. 
$14.35 
14K “ “ 30c 
4.35 
- $18.70 
Total proceeds 
$-274.5-2 
Dr. 
To fall plowing and harro-wing, 1SS4 
$ 1.00 
** 13 loads manure at $3 
24.00 
“ spreading 
1.00 
“ spring plowing and harrowing 
1.00 
“ 400 lbs fertilizer 
10.00 
“ so-wlng “ 
.25 
** 4 bu. Onion sets at $2.50 
10.00 
“ setting Onions and Lettuce 
3.00 
“ 4500 Lettuce plants 
4..50 
** Cauliflower plants 
2..50 
“ Pepper “ 
1.25 
“ preparing and marketing Onions 
$2..50 per 1000 bunches 
10.40 
“ preparing and marketing Lettuce 
$1.00 per 1000 
2.05 
“ cultivating with wheel hoe 15c per 
hour 
.3.00 
“ plowing and harrowing second crop I.OO 
“ setting Peppers and Cauliflower 
1..50 
“ hand hoeing 
1..50 
“ cultivating with horse 
3.00 
“ marketing second crop 
5.00 
“ interest on land 
1.1.3 
Total expenses 
- $87.98 
Net profit from 1-8 acre 
$lS«.5t 
Rate of profit per acre 
$1492..32 
The ground has been under 
cultivation 
with Onions and Lettuce a.s a first or early 
crop for the last ten years in succession, and 
always followed by a second o-op, varying 
as much as possible in its habit of growth 
and demand in plant food from the first 
crops. As good crops are now grown 
as when first cultivated, and the soil has be¬ 
come deep and rich. 
The plat was plowed in November, 1884, 
and the manure applied spread evenly over 
the plowed surface. In the spring, March 
31, plowed again turning under the manure 
and 400 pounds of Mapes Potato Fertilizer, 
applied broadcast and harrowed in with an 
Acme harrow, then Onion sets were planted 
on part, and Lettuce to finish the plot. Af¬ 
ter these crops wei’e gathered and the ground 
cleared, July 2d. it was again plowed and 
harrowed and Cauliflower and Peppers 
planted two feet, six inches apart each way, 
without any manure or fertilizer. 
The Onions were pulled while green and 
sold with tops on—six in a bunch. All the 
produce was sold wholesale in the market. 
The yield of some of the crops was consid¬ 
erably reduced by a severe drought which 
proved especially disastrous to the second 
plantings. Over one-half of the Pepper and 
Cauliflower plants were lost after planting, 
being burnt in the hot, dry soil, during the 
week when the thermometer registered from 
96° to 100° ever}'' d.ay. Otherwise the re¬ 
turns would have been still better, but as 
this record is simply Intended to show what 
can be done in ordinary seasons and for a 
series of yeai's, it may serve the purpose 
as well. 
I may add that the figures here given are 
not mei-e guess work, but that 1 keep a 
day book,—and have done so for yeai-s,— 
in whieh each day’s sales, expenditures, 
and operations are noted as they oc- 
"cur. B}' this means I can sum up my ac¬ 
counts at any time and ascertain the profit 
or loss of any crop. This habit of keeping 
accurate accounts—acquired in former mer¬ 
cantile occupation—has been of great help 
and advantage to me; it should form part of 
every farmer’s and gardener’s work, and, if 
conscientiously adhered to, would bring en¬ 
couragement and profits to many a disconso¬ 
late tiller of the soil who does not know how 
to make ends meet. Theo. F. Baker. 
Bridgeton, .V. J. 
Answers to Correspondents, 
Spreading Manure in Winter.—it. M., Elyria, 0. 
-Fresh manure may he sjjread on the frozen 
ground witli very little risk of loss, yet most gar- 
doners prefer to eompost manures, spread in 
spring, and plow under at once. 
Pansies.—TioeWond.—Pansies are nearly hardy 
in tliis latitude, but to insure their surviving se¬ 
vere winters, they should be covered similarly to 
the method advised for Strawberries. Where a 
cold-frame can bo jtlaced over them, tlowers inaj' 
be had nearly all winter. 
Floral Designs.- C. //. W., Ilinsdaie, // 
-Fashions in designs, and styles of arranging 
flowers are about ns cai)riclous as fashions in 
millinery goods. Natural good taste is of more 
importance in arranging flowers than fonnal dl 
rections. The “Flower Fa.shion” articles In Tm.; 
A.MKf!fc,tN Gardk.v give the fullest and most com- 
plete record of the flower stylos in vogue In New 
York, to be found anywhere. 
Potting P,ulbs.-W, T. 1,., AHtoria, N. r.-l,argo 
brdbs growing In a greenhouse In winter do fullv 
as well when one-thlrd or ono-lmir of the upper 
part IS above the siiiface of th(>.-soll, as when en 
tlrely under ground. iJulbs potted in the fall ami 
not desired to bloom before spring, keep excel 
lenllylna eool cellar. 'J’lujy shoidd bo covered 
with sand or leaves, but If the cellar is warm the 
bulbs arc apt to start Into growth before wan ted 
In which case a cold-ivame is pj-eferable. ’ 
NOVBLTEBS. 
Z/nder this headiny we propose to notice aUnewva. 
riciies of Fruits, Vegetables, Flowers, and Ornamental 
Shrubs and Trees introduced by reliable houses here 
and abroad. We wish to have it distinctly understood, 
hmoever, that the fact of a novelty being mentioned here 
does not imply our endorsement or recommendation of 
the same, the descriptions being mostly those of the 
originators or’ introducers. This column is intended 
merely to serve as a record of the novelties of the day. 
FRUITS. 
Peer.— “Srahonhig,” M. Milton, Youngstown, O. 
Resembles Fred Clapp, but Is much larger and 
better flavored. A thrifty grower. 
ylppie. — “Thompson,” also “Hurst.” Hybrid 
Crabs originated by Goo. P. Peffor, Pewaukee, 
tVls. Very desirable for the Northwestern States 
and Canada. 
“Needle’s Seedling,” originated in 
Iowa; similar to Wilson, but earlier and more 
uniform in size. 
Grape.—“Marsala,” originated In Missouri, and 
described by Sam. Miller as, bunch large, berry 
large, dark red, somewhat pulpy, with little na¬ 
tive aroma but pleasant to eat; free from rot. 
VEOETAnbES. 
Tomato. —“Livingston’s Beauty.” A. W. Living- 
ston’s Sons, Columbus, O. Claimed to be supe¬ 
rior to any of the originator’s former introduc¬ 
tions. 
5«isi/y.—“Mammoth Sandwich Island,” Jas. M. 
Thorburn & Co., New York. Enormous size, re¬ 
sembling a good-sized Parsnip. 
Potato.—“The Thorburn,” Jas. M. Thorburn &, 
Co., New Y'ork. Earlier and more pr-oductive 
than the Beauty of Hebron of which It is a self- 
seedling. 
FLOWERS. , 
Phlox Drummondii graiidi/lora stellata splendem.— 
E. Bonary,Erfurt, Germany. Flowers vivid ciim- 
son, with a clearly deflned white star in the cen¬ 
ter. 
Kniphofia LeichtUni.—A new species from Abys¬ 
sinia. A dwai-f grower, bears a dense spike of 
yellow flowers, some four inches in length. 
Hardy at Kew. 
Melumbium speciosiiin album, or White Lotus. 
From Japan; flowers nine to ton inches in diame¬ 
ter and of i^'ory whiteness. 
Iris Korollcowi Irom Asia. Not entirely new to 
botanists, but new in cultivation; described as in 
some respects the most beautiful of all Irises- ot 
soft, creamy ground color with rich, dark purple- 
brown throat. 
Vallotapurimrea magnifica.—Se\y Plant and Bulb 
Co., Colchester, England. Plant considerably 
stronger than the ordinary kind, flowers larger 
Gmhtterior of the 
Euoharis Mastersi.-W. Bull, Chelsea, England 
A ne« ly -introduced species, flowers snowy white 
inoduced in clusters from live to nine on S 
stem, very llorifcrous. 
Ahwaiideri, 
-“My 
1.HE Vacation Force in Appi,e.s 
little boy,” said a goiitlmnan, “you ought 
not to eat those green Apples, 'i’hey arc not 
good for little boys.” 
“Tbeyhain’t,ch’f” the boy replied with 
mouth full. “Guess you don’t know 
much about ’em, Mister, '1,’liroe of these 
Apples’ll keep me out of school for a week.” 
— Y, Times, 
his 
Upper Hoi- 
nepenthes execlsior, B. S Wl’lli’amr.”)!!'" 
I'al d’Andorre. Mr. Wr Jit M mi 
dons; aymbldlnm s 
OUSA»lENTAt, TREES. 
ton, Ilammonlon, N .1 AU,wii. ' BuUor- 
<11 flowers, to whom ho 
li<).y tonil 
homo 
with the pared uudtM- 1 is 
><Hi;m’fu,.u, greeted his s^ 
”-<dur;:sr::d[p i-dyiiowors 
f 01 that partioular brand I 
of the flowers 
