132 _ ASPARAGUS AND RHUBARB. 
shoots. Beyond this time there were no shoots worth 
cutting. These plants were forced most too rapidly at 
first, with the result of getting too many spindling shoots. 
John Gardner’s method.*— “‘I prefer roots three or four 
years old for forcing; but the age is immaterial, provided 
a vigorous growth has been made the previous season. 
The roots are originally planted out in rows 5 feet apart 
and a foot apart in the row, covered with 3 inches of soil, 
and cultivated as for an ordinary crop. When wanted 
for forcing the roots are plowed out, with as little damage 
to them as possible. In neighborhoods where asparagus 
is grown for market, farmers will often plant as above, 
and then, in the third or fourth year, will plow out every 
other row to be used for forcing, leaving permanent rows 
10 feet apart. At this distance the ground can be thor- 
oughly tilled, and abundant light, warmth and air will 
make strong crowns, so that an early crop of the first 
quality can be expected. Roots to be forced are placed 
in a pit under the benches and heated with hot water. 
They are placed on 2 inches of soil, and covered with 4 
to 5 inches to blanch the shoots. Cutting will be in order 
about 15 days after the roots are put in, and the same 
roots will produce profitable shoots for six weeks. As- 
paragus can be forced on greenhouse benches, in frames 
or in hotbeds, where the manure is not too fresh, so as to 
generate too much heat and steam. I have seen the 
best of ‘grass’ grown in a common frame, with 18 
inches of leaves and manure to ferment and give heat, 
and a covering thrown over the frame at night. It should 
be remembered that asparagus starts with very little heat, 
45 degrees being sufficient to start it in the soil.’ 
Forcing in hotbeds.j— ‘‘A most suitable place for forc- 
ing asparagus is a frame about 4 feet deep, with one 4-inch 
hot-water pipe running around it. About 2% feet of fresh 
*Garden and Forest, ii. 598 (Dec. 11, 1889). 
t William Scott in Garden and Forest, vii. 478 (Nov. 28, 1894). 
