

198 ASPARAGITS. 



rows 9 inches distant, when 160 plants are required for the latter bed. 

 The seeds are sown as early as the spring permits, or 3 weeks before 

 frost sets in, in autumn press the earth well down when frosts begin. 

 Cover the ground with litter a foot deep, with poles on it ; and when 

 removed in spring, the plants will soon be up. Alleys should be left 

 between the beds which may be 2 feet deep; and trenched to that depth, 

 with manure in the bottom. When transplanted, do it immediately 

 after taking the roots up. When not to be transplanted, sow 2 or 3 

 seeds in places designed for 1 stalk, cover an inch deep and thin, when 

 up, to right distance. 



Shoots of 3 years old, some say, are better for planting than those of 

 one. In March and April the beds are forked and dressed, and weeds 

 kept out. with occasional waterings, till 3d or 4th year. Let the crop 

 for 2d and part of 3d year run to stalks. Onions or lettuce are often 

 sown on the ground, the 2 first years. The beds are loosened every 

 spring with a fork, avoiding wounding the roots, and raking the soil 

 again before the tops shoot. The tops are cleared olf when the frost 

 has touched them, and a coat of manure strewed over the bed. The 

 sprouts grow large and tender in shaded ground, but are not so early. 



The shoots of the 2d year may be cut off till middle of June, but 

 afterwards should run to seed. Gather the tops in regular order and 

 in the proper season ; when they are 3, 4 or 5 inches up, cut them be- 

 low the ground, slanting an inch. Leave 2 or more shoots to each 

 stool if you cut later than the 20th June, to draw nourishment to it. 



After 10 or 12 years, asparagus declines ; plant other beds, there- 

 fore, a year or two beforehand, allowing 3 or 4 years for production. 

 Select the finest and earliest heads for seed, in the spring, tie them to 

 a stake during summer, wash out the seeds in autumn, when quite 

 ripe, or keep them in the berry, in a dry place till sown, if for domes- 

 tic use. 



An old shaker gardner says, make the bed as soon as the frost is 

 out of the ground, work this to the depth of the spade blade, mix it 

 well with rotted horse manure, sow in rows cross-ways of the bed, 20 

 inches apart, one inch deep, and rake in lengthwise of the bed. When 

 the cutting season is over, hoe lightly and even over the surface. 

 Every other year spread on an inch of yard manure before hoeing. 



Cut the dry tops close early in spring, spread and burn them evenly 

 on the ground, hoe and rake the beds over. Thus large successive 

 crops have been cut for 25 years. A pickle of salt and water applied 

 to the beds in spring is said to be highly serviceable, or a bushel of 

 salt to a bed of 50 feet by 6. When forced, obtain three year old 

 plants (none others are fit) from hot-beds of stable litter, or recent 

 manure, tanner's bark, leaves of trees, grass, or herbage, all mixed 

 and laid set the plants at two inches. The red and green top are 

 the varieties cultivated ; the first is larger, fuller and closer, but is not 



