210 VEGETABLE GARDENING 



mends that as asparagus plants vary more than almost 

 any other vegetable, only those plants which have the 

 thickest, fleshiest and most numerous stems be chosen 

 for potting. "Many that appear large and vigorous will 

 have broad, flat, twisted or corrugated stems. Discard 

 them. Beware, also, of those that put out leaves close 

 to the soil. These will all make tough, stringy, undesir- 

 able plants. The best plants are those which are cylin- 

 drical, smooth and free from ridges. They shoot up 

 rapidly, and attain a height of 2 inches before leaves are 

 put out. They look like smooth needles. This matter 

 of selecting the best plants for potting and subsequent 

 planting out, is of the greatest importance in asparagus 

 culture." 



The principles of selection have been discussed. One- 

 year plants are better than two. Whatever the age, it 

 pays to select plants with four to eight large stems. 

 Several times as many seedlings should be grown as 

 will be actually needed for the new plantation. When 

 propagated in the field, the selection should be made in 

 the fall before the stems break down. The plants may 

 be tied together in bundles of 50 and stored under proper 

 conditions until spring. Very satisfactory conditions are 

 furnished by packing in barrels with slightly moist sand 

 or sawdust and burying the barrels late in the fall, first 

 covering with straw or leaves and then adding a few 

 inches of soil. If proper methods of seed selection have 

 been practiced, it should not be difficult to sell the sur- 

 plus plants at good prices. 



The consensus of opinion is that male plants are more 

 productive than female. Experiments made at the Ohio 

 Station (Ohio Station Bui. 9, Vol. Ill) gave results as 

 expressed in the table which follows. 



