THE BOOK OF VEGETABLES 



Cultivation, for the first year, consists in filling in 

 the trenches as the plants grow, if possible with a good 

 compost, until in late fall the ground is level. Water 

 during any drought, and every two weeks dress lightly 

 with nitrate of soda, or water with liquid manure. 

 Watch closely for pests and rust, and treat as directed 

 below. For fall treatment, see Fall Manuring. 



Let the transpanted plants grow two years before cut- 

 ting. Cut earlier, they lose vigor. 



Cutting in the third year, if done at all, should be 

 for not more than two weeks. It is wiser to wait until 



the fourth year. Dur- 

 ing the fourth spring, 

 and regularly there- 

 after, cut clean, allow- 

 ing no stalks to grow 

 up to about the mid- 

 dle of June. Some 

 growers cut till nearly 

 the first of July. It is 

 a good practice to fol- 

 low a rotation in cut- 

 ting, stopping early 

 each year on various 

 parts of the plantation, to give the plants a rest. 

 More than seven weeks' cutting is never advisable. 



Method of cutting. The asparagus- knife is the 

 usual implement, though pocket-, table- or pruning- 



Kig. 11. Good and poor methods of cutting 

 Asparagus. Thrust the knife into the 

 ground as vertically as possible, in 

 order not to injure other shoots or the 

 crown. 



