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Show FARMING IN DIXIE ASPARAGUS I Contributed) In tiie matter of farming, the early ..ea.ion.s of Dixie constitute our chief a.s.iot, and it appears that we should take advantage of them, if we would .-.ecure the greatest profit. In this respect, re-spect, the culture of asparagus seems to offer greaU-r advantages than most other crops. In the first place it is a staple crop, in demand, during its season, sea-son, almost everywhere. It may be sold fresh, or canned. Its period of harvest is approximately eight weeks, and in the nighborhood of St. George, this extends from the middle of March to the middle of May. Throughout the greater part of Utah, Idaho and Wyoming, it does not come into market mar-ket before the early part of May, so that we have a period of nearly six weeks, during which there is no competition com-petition from the north. Of course, we will have to compete with California Califor-nia and the Moapa Valley, but we have the advantage of being a little nearer and we should be able to sell at a profit, pro-fit, even in competition with these sections. sec-tions. A few people have planted small patches in and around St. George, and in other parts of the county, but at present, we are somewhat some-what in the position of the poultry producers; we produce somewhat more than enough to supply the local demands, de-mands, during the period of highest production, but not enough to justify going out to seek a market outside. We need some commercial plantings, in order that there may be enough to justify us in seeking the outside market. mar-ket. Our soils are well adapted to its growth, as is shown by its productiveness productive-ness where it is grown; in fact, it is one of the few crops which is capable of successful cultivation on the mineral miner-al lots in the west and south of St. George. Also, there are many acres of land in the Washington field with a mineral content too high for successful success-ful production of alfalfa and grains, and yet well adapted to the growth of asparagus. It is true it takes some years to bring a patch to commercial production; but the third year after planting the seed, there should be a small production; and this would increase in-crease every year for a number of years. If roots are planted instead of seeds, the second year after planting, a small amount may be gathered; with increased production for a number of years. That the crop is a profitable one is attested by the farmers in the Moapa Valley. Samuel H. Wells, formerly of St. George, planted several acres of this crop, and it was his belief that it was very profitable. Because our season sea-son comes on a little later than that of Moapa, we might not find it quite so profitable as in the Moapa Valley; but if we were growing it in commercial commer-cial quantities, it would likely be advisable ad-visable to can a portion of the product, after competition from the north made it unprofitable to ship. At least, it has an advantage over the tomato in this respect; that its period or harvest is so short, that there would be but little time when there would be competition com-petition from the north; while with the tomato, this competition lasts during dur-ing the greater part of the producing season. It is suggested that the asparagus as-paragus roots be set out in rather deep furrow:s, running north and south where this is convenient, and that the furrows be gradually allowed allow-ed to fill up, so that the crowns may be located far enough below the surface, sur-face, to permit of cultivation over them without injury to the crowns. The Martha Washington variety is highly recommended as being rust resistant, re-sistant, and roots of this kind were in the market from Mesquite and Bun-kerville Bun-kerville past season. Plantings could be made at any time now, and should not be delayed longer than early in March. A wonderful change might be wrought in St. George if all the lots now lying idle, which have a water right, could be planted to asparagus, and made to produce an income of S200 or more a year. Why not try it? It is expensive to keep weeds under control, if you do not raise a crop. Let us find some crop that will pay for the cultivation and the taxes and yield us a profit besides. Too many of us go away from home to seek employment, employ-ment, and leave our own garden and farms to lie unproductive, or only half tilled. Why wait for some one from outside to come here and show us what can be done with profit? Have we no initiative; no ability to see the possibilities lying about us? Let us hope that some of us may do so. |