§4 Second Annual Report 



sandy loam soil, cultivated and kept free from weeds. Care 

 should be taken not to sow the seed too thick to interfere with 

 the growth of each individual plant. The plants should be 

 kept in this "nursery" for two years, and by that time if proper 

 care has been taken of them they ought to be well developed 

 "crowns" ready to go into the field and start into the battle of 

 life. 



Preparation of the Bed — Much could be said in regard to 

 the preparation of the soil, but I will confine myself to a few of 

 the fundamental principles which are essential. Choose a well 

 drained, rich sandy loam,, with a clay loam subsoil. Always 

 avoid if possible heavy clay, as this does not allow the roots to 

 penetrate readily and is apt to be cold, which will retard the early 

 production of stalks. On the other hand, it is not well to choose 

 soil that has too many small stones in it as they dull the knife 

 when cutting. A southern slope is to be preferred as this will 

 induce early growth in the spring, for it is often this first "grass" 

 which pays best. Care should be taken to have any low spot 

 thoroughly underdrained, for asparagus, although a semi-aquatic 

 plant will never thrive well in stagnant water. 



In preparing the soil it should have a thorough top dress- 

 ing of manure which must be thoroughly mixed in, and the 

 soil pulverized to a depth of from eight to ten inches. After 

 the bed is mellow and smooth one can mark out the rows with 

 an ordinary drilling plow,, the distance of the rows apart to be 

 regulated as to whether one intends to cultivate between the 

 rows by horse labor or by hand. Where the former method 

 is intended six feet apart has been proved by experience to be 

 the best. This distance allows the roots to spread well and is 

 yet not too far to waste ground. After the rows have been 

 drilled open, one should go along with a shovel, widen out the 

 places where the plants are to be set so as to give the roots an 

 opportunity to spread out in every direction. The "crowns" 

 should be then set carefully in and covered with a few inches 

 of earth. In selecting the "crowns" care must be exercised to 

 select those which have many roots and few well developed buds, 

 as this insures a thrifty plant with good large stalks, where 

 if one has many buds and few roots they are apt to get inferior 

 "grass." The trench should be filled in gradually as the stalks 

 develop until all is level. The ground should be thoroughly 

 cultivated and kept free from weeds, and the following spring 

 get a heavy top dressing of stable manure. No "grass" should 

 be cut from the plants for at least two years after being planted 

 in the permanent bed. 



In regard to applying commercial fertilizers, almost any 

 fertilizer strong in nitrogen will give good results; but ex- 



