ASPARAGUS 17 



After planting, keep the ground from baking. The 

 seeds are of very slow germination, and sometimes 

 quick-germinating seeds are sown with them to mark 

 the row. These should be sown only for this purpose, 

 however, very thinly, and not for a crop ; as soon as 

 the Asparagus shows the other plants should be pulled, 

 and thinning begun. 



For the first year feed the plants well, give clean 

 culture, keep free of pests, spray against rust, and in 

 the fall cut down the tops and burn. 



Asparagus under glass. Excellent plants for the 

 home garden may be raised by sowing three or four 

 seeds in four-inch pots, thin to one in a pot; or by 

 sowing in flats and carefully pricking out into pots. 

 Harden off and set out when severe frosts are over ; 

 set two feet by eighteen inches for transplanting the 

 following year, or set where the plants are to stand, 

 depth six to eight inches ; fill in the trenches during the 

 summer. 



Carefully selected pot -grown plants, started in 

 March and set out in May at full depth, as here 

 described, will give quicker results than any other 

 plants. 



Preparing for the permanent bed. Make the soil 

 as good as possible, in richness and in physical texture. 

 Use old manure to an almost unlimited extent, adding 

 (to make it a complete fertilizer) per ton a hundred- 

 weight of Florida superphosphate and thirty -five 



