180 VEGETABLE FORCING 



planted and they have become largely exhausted by cut- 

 ting year after year. In all such cases the roots lack 

 vigor, and when planted in the forcing bed produce small 

 shoots and light crops. The planting of a few such roots 

 to meet the demand of the home table is not objection- 

 able, but when choice shoots are wanted for market the 

 strong, vigorous roots must be employed for forcing. 



Good roots, such as the one shown in Fig. 60, cannot 

 be grown except from good seed selected from strong, 

 rust-resistant plants. Such seed is now obtainable from 

 specialists. A rich plot of ground should be selected to 

 start the plants, well supplied with fine, rotten manure 

 and available plant food. The seed should be sown as 

 early in the spring as the ground can be worked. If very 

 strong plants are to be grown, it is desirable to be liberal 

 in the space allowed for each plant. A seed dropped 

 every 3 inches in the row, and the rows 16 to 18 inches 

 apart, will give each plant room for its best development. 

 A few radish seeds sown with the asparagus will germi- 

 nate promptly and mark the rows, and thus facilitate 

 cultivation. The asparagus seeds are slow to germinate 

 and the plants will not appear for about four weeks. 

 There should be frequent tillage throughout the summer. 

 An excellent plan is to cultivate the nursery until mid- 

 summer and then apply a 3-inch mulch of horse manure 

 which has been aerated a few days by spreading it in a 

 loose pile not more than 18 inches deep. The manure 

 will prevent weed growth and conserve soil moisture 

 more perfectly than tillage, and liquid plant food will be 

 furnished the asparagus after every rain. Overhead irri- 

 gation and manure mulching can be used to advantage in 

 growing strong roots. Top-dressing a few times during 

 the summer with nitrate of soda at the rate of 100 pounds 

 to the acre will prove beneficial unless the soil is very 

 fertile. No effort should be spared to grow unusually 

 strong roots. 



