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MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 79 
ago 7,000 barrels were shipped from St. Paul, and I see no reason 
why we cannot sell 70,000 barrels, and thus see less of hard times. 
Mr. Kenney. The vines spread rapidly, and altogether it is an 
easy fruit to grow. 
PERENNIAL GARDEN VEGETABLES. 
The paper of Wm. E. Brimhall, Esq., of St. Paul, on Perennial 
Garden pee was then read and ordered on file for publi- 
cation. 
The following is the paper in full : 
Asparagus. 
This is justly esteemed one of the choicest vegetables of the garden. 
Indeed it possesses every quality to recommend it—flavor for the palate, 
hardihood of constitution, facility of culture and it brings profit to the 
grower. 
Although few plants demand so little trouble, no others are so well worth 
a great deal of trouble. This it will be our object to prove while explaining 
the method by which it is cultivated. 
Propagation.—In forming new beds it is customary to use two year old 
plants, because they may be safely removed at that age and will come into 
bearing in two years. May is the best time for planting: but having pro- 
duced beds from seeds, we prefer that method of propagation. 
Too much pains cannot be taken in preparing the ground before planting, 
as nothing can be done after the plants are started except by topdressing. 
If the soil is stiff and unpleasant to work, mix with it some lighter earth, 
and about a wagon load of well rotted manure to every ten feet square. 
When the land is fit for planting sow the seed in drills eighteen inches 
apart. When the plants appear, thin to one foot apart in the row. For the 
first year the ground should be kept free from weeds and the soil light by 
frequent cultivating. 
The following spring cover the ground with about three inches of finely 
pulverized manure, and during the season cultivate as before. Remember 
you are preparing a bed that will last twenty years. 
In the autumn when the stalks have turned yellow, cut and burn them. 
Before the ground freezes, cover with a good coat of good manure. In 
the spring fork it in and cultivate as before. If your work has been well 
done, the next spring you may have asparagus for market. 
Cutting.—At every cutting cut the bed clean, leaving no thin spindling 
shoots. But do not cut later than the first of July, for if every shoot be 
taken off a crown, to the end of a long season, that root will be destroyed. 
To prevent the crowns from being too deeply buried, on account of the 
fall dressings, the ground should be forked late in April, and the rough earth 
raked off. 
