20 
phoric acid per acre. The following year the same amounts were 
repeated. The bed was on a sandy loam of good, natural drainage and 
well adapted to the growth of asparagus.” 
At the same place experiments were started in 1896 on four plats. 
Plat 1 received 18 tons per acre of stable manure; plat 2 received 
650 pounds per acre of general fertilizer at planting; plat 3 received 
650 pounds per acre of general fertilizer at planting and 150 pounds 
ground bone and 150 pounds muriate of potash November 2; plat 4 
received 650 pounds general fertilizer at planting, 200 pounds nitrate of 
soda July 22, and 150 pounds ground bone and 150 pounds muriate of 
potash November 2. Of course these are trial amounts, but they 
ought to suggest the manuring needed, and will, when the experiment 
is concluded, add to the present knowledge on the subject. 
An experienced and well-known New Jersey grower of asparagus, 
whose farm has a light sandy soil, writes of manuring as follows: 
- At planting use a good fertilizer in the row. Early in the spring of the second 
year make a furrow with a 1-horse plow down the row on top of the asparagus and 
give a good dressing of composted stable manure. Plow on a furrow from each side, ~ 
making a ridge, which is left until nearly time for asparagus to appear, when it is 
leveled off with a 2-horse harrow, or, perhaps better, put 3 by 4 inch scantling under 
the harrow, and level off, making a flat bed. This is repeated each year until the 
asparagus crowns get too near the surface, and then a furrow is run down each side 
of the row, and filled with manure, the ridge left between the two furrows being cut 
down by a cultivator. 
Another grower of green asparagus in the same general section, 
whose beds are great producers, and whose ‘‘ grass” commands a top 
price in the markets of Boston and New York, has never used a pound — 
of manure on his asparagus, depending entirely upon chemical or com- 
mercial fertilizers. 
A Virginia grower, whose farm is a sandy loam, and whose asparagus 
(green) sold at top prices for ‘‘ Southern grass” during the season of 
1897, writes on the subject of manuring as follows: 
The soil should be rich to start with, and kept so. The first spring, at time of 
planting, I sow in row, after having covered roots about 2 inches deep, 500 pounds 
raw bone and cover same with about 1 inch of soil. The next spring I sow 500 
pounds raw bone broadcast per acre and harrow in, but 1,000 pounds would be better. 
Svery third year a heavy dressing (25 tons) of fine well-rotted manure should be 
broadcasted and well worked in with cutaway harrow in addition to the 500 pounds 
of raw bone, and every third year 500 pounds of kainit should be broadcasted per 
acre. 
Nitrate of soda and sulphate of potash mixed with wood ashes applied 
in two doses (March and May) keep the asparagus beds going and 
produce a large yield of fine spears. 
Sulphate of ammonia (one part) and muriate of potash (two parts) 
applied in three doses (March, May, and after the cutting season is over) 
has been found to bea mixture which proved a very profitable fertilizer 
for asparagus. 
