var it = 50000;
var start = new Date().getTime();
for (i = 0; i < it; ++i) {
// test creation of an element
// see below statements
}
var end = new Date().getTime();
alert( end - start );
var e = $( document.createElement('div') ); // ~300ms
var e = $('<div>'); // ~3100ms
var e = $('<div></div>'); // ~3200ms
var e = $('<div/>'); // ~3500ms
var e = $(document.createElement('div')).appendTo('#target');
var e = $('<div>').appendTo('#target');
var e = $('<div></div>').appendTo('#target');
var e = $('<div/>').appendTo('#target');