ASPARAGUS. 6l 



mulching the entire beds in the summer, and set with straw- 

 berries in September, leaving the two asparagus lines or rows 

 vacant until winter or spring, when convenient to plant them. 

 This would necessitate the application of salt, the first year 

 or two, only on the asparagus rows, or until they required the 

 whole ground. The vegetable crop could by this plan be 

 brought to marketing condition at little or no extra expense, 

 for full crops of berries could be grown. After the asparagus 

 came into full bearing the expense would be very light, as 

 the tops shade the ground all the summer, and could be 

 mowed off every fall and thrown for bedding in the cow lot to 

 make manure. I omitted to say, that the heavy mulching of 

 the berries the first two years would render the whole surface 

 of the beds light and loose, for after-covering of the aspara- 

 gus crowns. 



This plant is exceedingly long-lived, and the beds would 

 last almost a life-time with proper after care and fertilizing, 

 especially the latter, for it seems to be a perfect gourmand 

 after food. I hope the gulf-coast growers especially will in- 

 vestigate this subject fully, for I am sure it is one of the keys to 

 the future prosperity of this immediate section. The demand 

 seems unlimited for a good article, and it is such a perfect 

 shipper just pack in boxes, as for beans the product being 

 sold everywhere by weight, and at 10 cents per pound, the 

 minimum price I have seen quoted anywhere. It has no 

 enemies, and is never hurt by frost. Reduce, then, the berry 

 acreage very largely, and devote some of it to this vegetable, 

 and with a moderate supply also of lettuce, radishes, beets, 

 etc. There would then be no necessity for shipping straight 

 cars of berries, and dozens of towns would be able to handle 

 a well-mixed car, where one can now use a car of any one 

 article straight. 



