FIELD PLANTING 147 



fall clean off the bed, cover with a coat of coarse manure to keep the 

 ground from packing with the heavy rains, and fork it all in early 

 in the following spring, being careful not to injure the root crowns. 

 A small cutting can be made the second season, but it will help fu- 

 ture crops to cut very little. 



Field Planting of Asparagus. Roots can be moved from the 

 seed-bed to the field at any time from November to April, accord- 

 ing to condition of soil and activity of roots. As with other plant- 

 ings, however, early practice is better when all is favorable. As to 

 methods of planting in the field the experience of two prominent 

 large-scale growers is given. First, the method of Mr. William 

 Boots, one of the old line asparagus growers on the alluvial lands of 

 the Santa Clara valley : 



Next March (for T think March the best month to plant in, all else being 

 equal) choose a good piece of land, the very best is none too good, and 

 plow just as deep as you can. I plow with four good horses on a single 

 plow, and plow one foot deep, getting the land in as good condition as pos- 

 sible. Take a good team and draw furrows where the rows are wanted, 

 going twice in the same place, just as deep as we can get the plow to run, 

 throwing the furrow each way, making the distance six feet between rows. 

 Then carefully take up the plants, carefully separate them, for if they have 

 been very closely grown they will cling together; spread out the roots as 

 you plant them, clearing away all clods or anything that may hinder the 

 growth. Plant not closer than three feet between .plants in the rows. For 

 field planting for the market by all means do not plant closer than six feet 

 between the rows, and three feet apart in the rows ; for if there is a plant 

 that delights in plenty of room and air it certainly is asparagus. Cover the 

 plants about two inches deep, and during the summer cultivation the pulver- 

 ized earth will drop into the ditches, and by the time the season's cultivation 

 is over the ditches or furrows will be nearly full, which finishes the first year 

 in the field. 



Another method is that approved by S. J. Murdock, on the peat 

 lands of Orange county : 



The rows should be four feet apart and the plants eighteen inches from 

 each other in the rows, and even more room would be better if the land is 

 not too valuable. After the ground is well plowed and finely harrowed, mark 

 out the rows the desired distance apart with a plow by going twice in each 

 row, throwing a furrow each way from the center of the row, and from 

 eight to twelve inches deep ; then go one or more rounds in this with a 

 cultivator, closed up, so as to loosen up the soil well in the bottom of the row. 

 If you have any fine fertilizer put it in the row where you want to set your 

 plants ; mix well with the soil and set your plants over it. Place the plants 

 in the bottom of the prepared furrow, spread out the roots and cover 

 crown and all about two or three inches the lighter the soil the deeper the 



