TREATMENT OF ASPARAGUS FIELD 129 



secures the great length of large white shoots which are character- 

 istic of California canned asparagus. The ridges are made by the 

 use of plows, disks and crowders which cut deeply between the 

 rows and shift the soil over the root crowns. These ridges are 

 split with a plow or disk when the cutting season is over, and the 

 land leveled for the summer growth. This is simply an enlarge- 

 ment of old practices, as described below, as the light soil, largely 

 made of partly decomposed vegetation, favors cheap shifting of 

 great bulks of it to serve different needs of plants. 



Later Treatment of the Asparagus Field. There are several 

 points to gain in subsequent cultivation of the asparagus field. One 

 is early starting of the plants, and for that purpose some growers 

 plow first away from the rows to open the ground better to the 

 winter sunshine; another is to induce the growth of long, tender, 

 white shoots, and to retain moisture for prolonging the cutting sea- 

 son, and to aid summer growth of foliage, and for these ends the 

 early spring plowing is to cover the rows with a deep layer of loose 

 soil. Mr. Boots' method is as follows: 



Now do not attempt to cut any asparagus until your plants have grown 

 two years, but cultivate thoroughly. The second season's growth you will 

 find quite strong, and along in the fall, after the frost has killed the tops, 

 take a mowing machine or scythe and cut the tops close to the ground, pile up 

 and burn on the ground, as your plants are too deep in the ground to be 

 affected by the fire. Some time in November or December and not later than 

 the first of January, take two horses and plow, and go along the rows close 

 to the stubs that you cut off, throwing the furrows from the rows, then follow 

 along with sharp hoes and cut the stubs way low down; also break down the 

 little ridge that will be left between the furrows. The sun and air will warm 

 and start the roots to growing, sometimes as early as the first of January, and 

 the first plowing ought to be done before the sprouts begin to make their 

 appearance. 



Along in the early spring after the heavy rains are over, and the plants 

 have begun to push up nice healthy sprouts, take two horses and plow, and 

 reverse the operation by throwing the earth back onto the rows, leaving the 

 dead furrow in the center between the rows, covering the plants up deeply, 

 leaving the plants under the ridge. Then take a fine, sharp-toothed harrow, 

 and drag along the rows the same way the plow went, which will cut up and 

 drag out all clods and lumps, and leave the earth in fine condition for the 

 sprouts to come up through, for should the ground not be in good order, your 

 "grass" will be crippled and crooked. It will also be tough, fibrous and bitter. 



Continue thorough cultivation with plenty of manure, no matter what kind 

 or how rough. At the same time finely rotted manure is profitable. There 

 is one thing to be borne in mind in the producing of asparagus ; you can't 

 fertilize too much. The better cultivated and the more fertilizers the greater 

 will be the quantity and the better will be the quality produced. We plow 

 thoroughly about three times a year, and harrow as often, and in the cutting 

 season keep the weeds out with hoes. 



The method of alternately opening and covering the rows is 

 somewhat conditioned upon the local soil and rainfall. The looser 

 the soil and the lighter the winter rain, the less need of such opera- 

 tion, because in such situations the heat readily penetrates and the 

 roots answer quickly without uncovering, which may too greatly 



