TILLAGE THE FIRST SEASON 195 



grown in drills. The plants should stand about three inches apart 

 in the row. 



Whether grown from seed or purchased from a seedsman, the 

 plants should be set in their permanent location in the spring. 

 Planting should take place as early as the ground can be worked 

 to advantage, since this gives the plants a longer season in which 

 to grow and insures a better stand than if planting is delayed until 

 the best part of the growing season of spring has passed. If 

 possible, the plants should be set before the normal season for 

 asparagus to start growth in established plantations. 



If the plants are grown on the premises they should be dug as 

 needed for planting; if they have been shipped in from a distance, 

 they should be heeled-in upon arrival, to prevent their drying 

 out, and taken out as needed. This is a wise precaution, even 

 though asparagus roots will stand considerable hard usage. 



The soil for asparagus should be rich. Land that has been 

 manured the preceding year is preferred. If this cannot be secured, 

 the land selected should be manured and plowed in the fall, if 

 possible, preparatory to spring planting. In case this cannot be 

 done, and the soil needs enriching, an application of well-rotted 

 manure may be made immediately before the spring plowing. 



Planting. — Whether the land is plowed in the fall or not, deep 

 plowing immediately before planting is essential. As soon as 

 plowed, the land should be thoroughly disked and harrowed to 

 make it fine to as great a depth as possible. The field should then 

 be laid out for planting by making furrows either four or five feet 

 apart and from eight to ten inches deep. The roots (Fig. 120) are 

 set two feet apart in the bottom of the furrow at such a depth that 

 the crown will be five or six inches below the level of the ground 

 after the furrows are filled. However, at the time of planting the 

 furrows are not completely filled, only enough dirt being put in 

 to cover the crowns about two inches. If covered more deeply 

 at this time, the plants may fail to grow. 



Tillage the First Season. — As soon as the plants start growth, 

 cultivation should begin. A cultivator is used on the ridge be- 

 tween the furrows, and a hoe is employed in stirring the soil 

 close to the plants and shaving off any weeds that appear in the 

 furrow. At each cultivation and hoeing, soil is worked toward the 

 plants. Thus the furrows are gradually filled, so that by the end 

 of the growing season there will be no furrows, but the field will 

 present a level appearance. 



