160 GREENHOUSE MANAGEMENT. 



enough to give a fair crop the second year. A more 

 common method is by the division of the old plants, 

 and, after potting them off in light soil, plunging in a 

 mild bottom heat. 



Strong plants should be set preferably in solid, 

 although they will do fairly well in deep, raised beds, 

 about ten or twelve inches apart; if planted closer than 

 this, every other plant should be removed after the sec- 

 ond year. If well grown, from three to five strong 

 shoots should be obtained from each plant. Asparagus 

 is forced for several seasons, being best from the second to 

 the fourth year. During the summer, it should be dried off, 

 from June until August, and treated the same as smilax. 



The species most commonly grown is Asparagus 

 plumosus; although a dwarf form, A. plumosus nanus, is 

 preferable for many purposes. The latter is more nearly 

 like a fern, as a rule being only eighteen or twenty 

 inches high, and as it has shorter joints, it is much more 

 plume-like in appearance. A new form, Asparagus 

 Sprengeri (Fig. 60), is claimed to be a strong grower, 

 but of graceful habit, and of a bright green color. It will 

 remain fresh for a considerable time even in a heated 

 atmosphere. When grown rapidly, Asparagus plumosus, 

 and to some extent, its dwarf variety, has the habit of 

 sending up stems with the lower part devoid of foliage, 

 and as this is worthless, some growers, among them W. 

 H. Elliott, Brighton, Mass., have erected houses with 

 high roofs (Fig. 61 ), thus enabling them to cut a good 

 "string" above the bare portion of the plant. Aside 

 from their delicacy, and their rich, green color, all the 

 greenhouse species of asparagus are found more valuable 

 than smilax for decorations, or for cut-flower work, 

 where permanency is desirable, as they will remain fresh 

 for a number of days, if the ends are in water. 



The temperature required is slightly lower than is 

 needed by smilax, but with the exception of this, and 



