256 FIELD AXD GARDEN PRODUCTS 



produced in the mechanical condition of the soil by the use of stable 

 manure upon beds. By the addition of humus, porous sandy soil is 

 made somewhat more binding and its ability to take up and retain 

 moisture thereby increased; while, on the other hand, cold, heavy 

 soils are made warmer and more porous. 



All organic manures are suitable for use on the beds; but care 

 must be exercised in the use of any of these lest they be too hot and 

 injure the plants, especially if applied directly to the roots and 

 immediately over the crowns. Where the young shoots come up 

 through it, fresh, hot manure is likely to produce rust or to render the 

 shoots unsightly and thus injure their sale. Especially is this true in 

 light, sandy soils. 



The time of applying manure on beds, and the position where it 

 should be placed, are of some importance. In the use of stable 

 manure, both writers upon the subject and growers actually engaged 

 in producing asparagus for the market almost unanimously state that 

 "in the autumn, after the stalks have matured and have been cut, 

 manure should be applied on top of the rows." Some give the caution 

 not to put it just over the crowns, lest the shoots next spring be 

 injured by contact with it. This plan of top dressing beds during the 

 autumn or early winter is gradually giving way to the more rational 

 mode of top dressing in the spring and summer. It was believed that 

 autumn dressing strengthened the roots and enabled them to throw 

 up stronger shoots during the following spring. This is a mistake. 



It is during the growth of the stalks after the cutting season is 

 over that the crowns form the buds from which the spears of next 

 season spring, and it is probable that it is principally during this 

 period that the roots assimilate and store up the material which pro- 

 duce these spears. This being true, the plant food added to the soil 

 and becoming; available after the cessation of vegetation in the 

 autumn can have little, if any, effect upon the spears which are cut 

 for market the following spring; it first becomes of use to the plant 

 after the crop has been cut and the stalks are allowed to grow. In the 

 use of hot, or fresh, manure it may be that the winter season is none 

 too long to permit the fertilizing elements to become available and 

 well distributed throughout the soil, but if well-rotted manure is used 

 there is danger of the fertility being leached out of the soils by the 

 rains and melted snows of winter. 



Those growers who apply a liberal dressing of stable manure or 

 fertilizer immediately after the cutting season supply the required 

 nourishment to the plants at the time they most need it and can most 

 profitably utilize it in the production of spears. Manure thus applied 

 will also act as a mulch, preventing the growth of weeds, keeping the 

 soil light and cool, and preserving the moisture intact. It should not 

 be made on top of the row. This suggestion the writer wishes to 

 emphasize. 



Manuring in November in many cases does more harm than 

 good, as the mass of manure causes many roots to decay, and those 

 which do survive are weak and only produce small spears. It would 

 be much better to rely upon liberal supplies of food through the grow- 



