ASPARAGUS 



557 



inches in height It is easy to tell the dif- 

 ference between the tender and tough va- 

 rieties. The smaller seedlings with a 

 tendency to show woody fibre or a tough 

 gnarled appearance should be weeded out. 



Fip. 1. Asparasrus Crown. Roots. Buds and 

 Spear. ( Redrawn and reduced ; from plate 

 113 of Thome's Flora von Deutschland. ) 

 — Farmers BitUcliil 61. 



Propagation from Roots 



An asparagus plant has a very broad 

 spreading crown, with a good many buds. 

 Any plant which shows unusual merit in 

 the spring when it starts into growth may 

 have this crown divided. Often a half 

 dozen plants may be started from the 

 same crown. It is better to dig up the 

 entire root, or as nearly so as it is con- 

 venient to handle; then divide the plant 



into sections at the joints, so that each 

 piece possesses a few buds and some roots 

 attached. These roots may be planted as 

 individual plants, and when they become 

 established will produce the same as the 

 parent plant from which they were sepa- 

 rated. 



The roots may be set in autumn or 

 early spring, in deep rich soil, and gen- 

 erally the crown should be covered from 

 four to six inches. In a light mellow 

 soil the depth of setting may be greater 

 than in a heavy compact soil. They 

 should be well cultivated, especially for 

 the first year or two, but after they are 

 fully established they are such vigorous 

 growers that they are generally neg- 

 lected; but even then, good cultivation 

 pays, for it produces a larger number of 

 vigorous, succulent young stalks for the 

 market. 



Fis 



Knife for Cutting Asparagus. 



Cutting: Asparagus 



It is never best to cut plants for the 

 table or for market until the roots have 

 been planted two years, or, in poor soils, 

 three years. After the age for cutting, 

 all sprouts should be kept cut, whether 

 they are big enough for the market or 

 not. If the smaller stems are allowed to 

 appear, the plant ceases to produce more 

 sprouts. Ordinarily one may continue to 

 cut for the market as long as the sprouts 

 are succulent and desirable. In cutting, 

 care should be taken not to injure the 

 root, but cut as close to the root as pos- 

 sible without injury. When preparing for 

 the markets, the sprouts should be washed 

 in clean water, bunched and tied in neat 

 small bundles. 



Varieties 



Among the best varieties are Conover's 

 Colossal, which has very large stems, 

 starts early in the spring and has a pro- 

 nounced flavor. The Palmetto and Mam- 

 moth are sweeter, have a less pronounced 

 flavor, and are preferred by many per- 

 sons. Late in the autumn the tops 

 should be mowed close to the ground and 

 the field given a heavy coating of manure. 



