118 ANNUAL, REPORT 



ciently. If the ground gets dry before they sprout, it must be 

 watered by hand. 



The asparagus beds must be prepared for the season at the earli- 

 est possible moment. Cut off the old tops aod burn them; ma- 

 nure heavily, and dig it under with six-tined forks being caretul 

 not to dig so deep as to injure the roots of the plants. After dig- 

 ging under the manure, take your rakes and level clown the beds 

 and they are ready to begin their season's work, with the first 

 warm day. Last spring in addition to the above I put on after 

 raking, about fifty bushels of uuleached wood ashes per acre. The 

 crop was simply enormous. My sons say that we get more food 

 from our asparagus beds per acre than frgm any other land that 

 we cultivate. I am not sure but they are right. There is a great deal 

 of nonsense in some places about the way and expense of making 

 an asparagus bed. Suppose I tell you in a few words how I make 

 mine, and they are certainly successful. Select a deep rich soil 

 thoroughly drained, put on about all the manure that you can plow 

 under. Plow it deep as you can, and harrow it smooth. Then 

 take your shovel plow, and make furrous say three feet apart from 

 centre to centre. Make them so deep that the crown of your 

 plant will be not less than four nor more than six inches beneath 

 the top of the ground, after the bed is leveled down. Now take 

 good strong roots either one or two years, old, not exceeding three 

 years, and place them in the bottom of your furrow. Spread the 

 roots out about in their natural position, putting them about 

 twelve to fifteen inches apart in the furrow. Throw some more 

 manure upon the roots, and fill up the furrows, level off the 

 ground, and your asparagus bed is made. Cut nothing from it the 

 first season, and do nothing to it except to keep down all the weeds 

 and grass. The next and every spring thereafter, follow the direc- 

 tions given in caring for your bed, and it will last your life time, 

 and very likely much I mger. You may cut some from it the 

 second season, but not much. The third still more, and afterwards 

 through the entire season for asparagus cutting. Always cut 

 clean, leave no small and worthless stalks to run up to seed, or you 

 will soon damage your bed almost beyond repair. 



Well, having the hardy seeds all in, it is time to think about set- 

 ting out early cabbage, cauliflower and lettuce. I have taken it 

 for granted that you all know how to make hot beds, and that every 

 one who contemplates gardening even upon a small scale, has one 

 or more of them filled with nice plants ready for setting. 



