Tests continued: … Mechanical harvesting of white asparagus

TESTS were conducted at the request of California asparagus growers and canners in 1964 to determine the effect of nonselective mechanical harvesting on white asparagus yields. The harvester used in those tests was similar to one built by Magnuson Engineers in 1951. This machine cuts all spears at a depth of 8 to 9 inches, separates them from most of the dirt and trash, and discharges them onto the top of the asparagus bed. Results from the 1964 tests have been reported. In the 1965 tests reported here, additional comparative-yield tests were undertaken along with the construction and further development of a second harvester, a preliminary study of methods of handling and sorting mechanically harvested asparagus, and investigation of the effects of sprinkler irrigation on peat soil structure, wind erosion, and dust.