58 ASPARAGUS 
If the entire ground has been heavily fertilized, 
plowing manure in the trenches will not be necessary, 
yet many experienced asparagus growers think that 
it pays to scatter some fertilizing material into the 
trenches before planting. A favorite plan with Long 
Island growers is to mix half a ton of ground bone, or 
fish scrap, with one hundred pounds of nitrate of soda 
per acre, and thoroughly incorporate this mixture with 
FIG. IO—HUDSON’S TRENCHER 
the soil to a depth of three inches before setting the 
plants. Others prefer thoroughly decomposed manure 
spread over the bottom of the furrow, to a depth of 
about three inches, before setting the plants. Others 
prefer thoroughly decomposed manure spread over the 
bottom of the furrow, to a depth of about three inches, 
and covering it with two inches of fine soil. If the 
roots are to be planted four or more feet apart it will 
be sufficient to throw a shovelful of manure where the 
roots are to be placed. This is then spread out so as to 
