22 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



To compete with the skilful growers who were then sup- 

 plying that market, it was necessary to reduce the cost of 

 production to the lowest point possible, and still grow a good 

 article. 



The first thing, as in all other crops, was to select a piece 

 of land adapted to this plant. In my judgment a warm, 

 sandy loam is the best. 



The land should be ploughed one or two years previous, 

 so as to have no sods in the way to obstruct operations. 



The next thing was to substitute horse-power, wherever it 

 could be done, for manual labor. 



We do away with all the trenching of the soil two or more 

 feet deep, or the still older English method of paving the 

 bottoms of the beds with flat stones to prevent the roots of 

 the plant from running down. I could never see any need 

 of paving, as the habit of the plant is to extend its 'roots 

 laterally. 



These methods of preparation involved a large expense. 

 The trenching alone would cost about a dollar a square rod, 

 or $160 an acre. 



Now, instead of trenching, we plough the land from six- 

 teen to eighteen inches deep, which is enough for all prac- 

 tical purposes. This we do with a strong team and a strong 

 plough. The first one or two furrows will require the team 

 to go in the same furrows two or three times, so as to get 

 the full depth ; and, after once getting the full depth, there 

 will be no difficulty found in drawing the plough with four 

 good oxen, or horses, provided you take narrow furrows ; and 

 that would make the best work. 



Now let us see how we stand in the outset. The opera- 

 tion of trenching would cost 8160, of ploughing, not over $8, 

 an acre, — a saving of f 152 an acre. I am prepared to say 

 it is as good as, if not better than, the trenching. 



The next thing to be done is to cart on to the land, and 

 drop in heaps, the manure. The usual application is not 

 over eight cords to the acre, and is probably as much as 

 would be economical to apply the first year, as the plants 

 are not established, and could not use any more if it were in 

 the soil. Spread the manure, and plough it in with a one- 

 horse plough, after which harrow and level the ground. 



Now mark the rows at the ends by measure, three feet 



