312 MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



ASPARAGUS FOR THE HOME GARDEN. 



E. F. PABODY, MINNEAPOLIS. 



For seventeen years I have had a summer home on the south 

 shore of Lake Minnetonka, in what is regarded as the most favorable 

 horticuhural location in the Northwest. The selection of this site 

 was made upon the advice of that eminent horticulturist and pom- 

 ologist, the late Peter M. Gideon. In this delightful place I and all 

 the members of my family hkve found pleasure, profit and health 

 in cultivating flowers, fruits and vegetables. 



To mar sometimes the pleasures, bitter disappointments have 

 been experienced during these years. For instance, a vineyard of 

 3,000 vines of the very hardiest varieties of grapes, principally Con- 

 cord and Delaware, has proven to me that a commercial vineyard 

 will never pay in Minnesota. And yet finer grapes do not grow any- 

 where. Forty or fifty vines, near my cottage, yielded an abundant 

 supply of this very delicious fruit, and they are very highly prized. 

 Early Richmond cherry trees grew to a large size, were vigorous and 

 healthy, and gave promise of an abundance of fruit, but at the first 

 blush of red upon the fruit the wax-wings, or cherry birds, as they 

 are called, appeared in countless numbers until in desperation the 

 axe was laid at the root of every tree. 



On the other hand, the earth never produced finer strawberries, 

 quantity, quality and beauty of coloring considered, than have de- 

 lighted our eyes and gratified our tastes. Raspberries, currants and 

 gooseberries have been grown that were unsurpassed anywhere. 

 Duchess and Wealthy apples with such colorings as no artist could 

 copy, and a flavor which only Minnesota could produce, have in their 

 season been a constant delight. 



Coming thus in contact with nature makes life worth living and 

 adds vastly to its zest and enjoyment. 



If the question were asked what part of the garden or orchard 

 had yielded the largest returns considering the expenditure of time 

 and money, I would say, without hesitancy, the small space given to 

 the asparagus bed. Seventeen years ago 100 roots, two years old, 

 were purchased at a cost of seventy-five cents. That is the entire 

 money expenditure. The work is scarcely anything. Caring for the 

 bed we only consider as exercise or recreation. Less than one day's 

 work each year has been all that was necessary to keep the bed in 

 good condition. Seemingly it is as good today as it was the second 

 year after planting. It has yielded largely every single year, and it 

 bids fair to give good returns for one or two more decades. Heat 

 or cold, moisture or drought, have seemed to have very little effect 

 upon its vigorous, rapid growth. 



