254 FIELD AND GARDEN PRODUCTS 



fine asparagus, notwithstanding the fact that it is full of large 

 gravel, some of the stones being twice the size of a man's fist. 



Shade. Fruit or other trees or high shrubs must not be allowed 

 in the asparagus bed, because of the shade they throw over the beds 

 and because their roots make heavy drafts upon the soil. Nor 

 should high trees, hedges, hills, or buildings be so near as to throw 

 a shadow upon the beds, because all the sunshine obtainable is 

 needed to bring the spears quickly to the surface. The land should 

 be protected from the north or east (or from the direction of the 

 prevalent winds) and so slope that the full benefit of the sunshine 

 will be obtained during the whole day. Freedom from weeds is very 

 desirable, even more so than great fertility, for the latter can be pro- 

 duced by the heavy manuring which the future cultivation will re- 

 quire; and to the end that weeds may be few, it is well that for a 

 year or two previous to planting the land should have been occupied 

 by some hoed crop, such as potatoes, beets, cabbages, etc. 



Cultivation. In the late fall or early winter the selected area, 

 should be a light sandy loam as described above, needs to be deeply 

 plowed, and if the subsoil is not already of an open and porous 

 nature, through which surface water will readily drain and the 

 roots easily penetrate, a sub-soil plow should follow, breaking the 

 soil to the depth of at least 15 inches. After harrowing the field, a 

 good compost of well-rotted horse, cow, sheep, or other manure 

 should be spread broadcast and left to the action of the weather until 

 as early in the spring as the ground is in condition to be worked, 

 when the manure should be plowed in, the surface carefully har- 

 rowed, and the soil put in a light and friable condition. 



As early in the spring as the condition of the ground will permit 

 work to be done when it is dry enough to bear plowing and the 

 soil will break up fine rows should be marked off 4 to 6 feet apart 

 and opened up with a large plow, going a sufficient number of times 

 to make a furrow from 8 to 12 inches deep. Loose soil that the plow 

 does not throw up should be taken up with a shovel or wide-bladed 

 hoe. It is in these furrows that the crowns are to be set, the dis- 

 tance to be left between plants varying, according to the opinion of 

 the grower, from 18 inches to 5 feet. 



Planting. Rows should be run north and south, so that the full 

 benefit of the sunshine will be secured. If the rows run east and west, 

 they will be shaded by the ridges in early spring, when the sun is low 

 in the south, and later in the season they will be completely shaded on 

 one side by the tall foliage. This delays sprouting in the spring, and 

 prevents the best development of the plants at all times. Of course, 

 any conditions, such as the slope of the land, etc., which make it 

 inadvisable to run the rows north and south must be considered, but 

 southeast to northwest or northeast to southwest is better than 

 due east or west, or, in short, the natural conditions permitting, 

 the course should be as far from east and west as possible. This is 

 especially important to those who ridge the rows to produce white 

 asparagus. Early in the spring of each year, after the plants are old 

 enough to cut, there must be a ridge made over the rows to blanch the 



