PERENNIAL VEGETABLES 



lentlessly treated as weeds, choke out the old plants, 

 and are troublesome to destroy and altogether un- 

 desirable. 



Cutting for use may begin the second season, 

 but should not be carried to the extent that would 

 be practised on an old bed, and should be discon- 

 tinued while yet the roots are throwing large, 

 healthy shoots. In cutting asparagus for use, it 

 should be cut just below the surface, never very 

 much under it, as all that grows below the surface 

 is tough and unfit for use. Where the bed is not 

 producing sufficient for use at first, it may be gath- 

 ered from day to day and placed upright in a dish 

 of water until sufficient has accumulated for use. 

 It will, in this way, make considerable growth and 

 the flavour will not be very much impaired. 



As soon as the bed has come into bearing it 

 should have all the rough litter removed very early 

 in the spring and a liberal top dressing of wood 

 ashes and fresh manure spread over it. Nitrate of 

 soda and other commercial fertilisers may be ap- 

 plied at this time or deferred until the roughest of 

 the manure is removed preparatory to cutting. 

 Salt is often applied in the proportion of six hun- 

 dred pounds per acre, or about four pounds to the 



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