34 ASPARAGUS 
tween the rows of asparagus the first year of its 
growth with but little injury to it.’’ 
GOOD CROPS TWO YEARS FROM SEED 
In answer to the many inquiries as to how asparagus 
can be grown to weigh two and three-fourths pounds 
per bunch of twenty-six stalks from plants two years 
old from seed, as exhibited at a recent American Insti- 
tute spring exhibition, George M. Hay, of Connecticut, 
writes in American Gardening as follows: 
“Select a piece of ground where the soil is light, 
but of a good depth, and plow thoroughly. About the 
1st of May mark off the rows three or four feet apart 
—for myself I prefer the latter distance as giving 
plenty of room for cultivation. Run a two-horse plow 
over the same furrow two or three times and you will 
have a depth of from fourteen to eighteen inches. 
‘‘ Trenches having been all made, we come to the 
most important part—namely, manuring. In order to 
give the young plants a good start after germination 
we have to use liberal quantities of well-rotted stable 
manure, and in this the young plants make roots that 
in a short time are surprising. I use a one-horse load 
of manure to every seventy-five feet of drill, tramping 
it well down, and with a rake draw from each side of 
the trench soil to cover the manure to a depth of from 
two to three inches. ‘The surface is raked level, and 
with the end of a rake or hoe a furrow one inch 
deep is drawn. 
‘‘We are now ready for the seed, which should 
have been soaked in tepid water for at least twenty- 
four hours. ‘This will insure the immediate starting 
