ASPARAGUS 



161 



will be large enough for transplanting to the permanent 

 plantation when one year old, and it is the best plan to 

 do so, but they may be allowed to stand two years in the 

 seed bed. The young seedling plants which often come up 

 in or near asparagus beds may be transplanted in July of 

 the first year directly to the permanent bed, and will do 

 very well if handled carefully. At whatever age they are 



Fig. 64. Asparagus root crown, with edible shoots. 



transplanted the plants should be dug and set out in the 

 spring or early summer, as they are likely to fail when 

 removed in the autumn. Asparagus may be increased by 

 dividing the crowns, but this is an expensive process, and 

 plants so grown have no peculiar merit over those from 

 seed. By buying the plants instead of sowing the seed to 

 start with, one or two years' time may be saved, and fre- 

 quently it is cheaper to buy the plants than to raise them. 1 1 



