122 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



before setting, be well. filled with manure to a depth of 9 inches or 

 more, to stock the soil with humus, as all applications after the roots 

 are set will have to be on or near the surface. A soil well stocked 

 with humus will stand drought much better than one that is deficient 

 in humus. The year previous to setting the roots the land should 

 receive a heavy dressing of lime, nearl}' 1 ton to the acre, or an e\'en 

 heavier dressing of wood ashes, imless the land has received frequent 

 applications of either or both of these materials in recent years, in 

 which case a smaller quantity will be sufficient. Asparagus is ver}- 

 sensitive to an acid soil and wiU not do well on it. 



The autumn pre\ious to setting, plow the ground to a depth of 9 

 inches or more, if such a depth does not bring up too much of the poor 

 subsoil. During the winter or spring spread 10 to 20 tons of manure 

 broadcast, and in the spring, when preparing the ground, apply 

 broadcast what chemicals are to be used. Thoroughly wheel harrow 

 two or three times and smooth. Mark out the rows 4 feet apart and 

 get them straight, — the field is to be planted for twelve years or 

 more, — as much better work can be done in the care of the field 

 with straight rows than with crooked ones. Open the furrows first 

 with a swivel plow with two horses abreast, turning the furrows all 

 one way. Then follow with a large two-horse landside plow, with the 

 horses tandem in the furrow, throwing the earth the first time the 

 same way as the swivel plow threw it, and then coming back in the 

 same furrow, throwing the earth to the opposite side of the trench, 

 where no earth has been thrown. In this way the trench can be made 

 quite clean to a depth of 7 inches below the settled level surface with- 

 out any shove Ung by hand. 



The roots are dug from the seed bed by plowing out with a large 

 two-horse plow, shaken out with forks, and taken to some building 

 where they can be separated and sorted, discarding all small and 

 poor plants. The plants are set in the bottom of the trench 2 feet 

 apart in the row, and covered with 2 inches of soil. The field is taken 

 care of during the first season by hand hoeing in the line of the trench, 

 working in soil a httle at a time, so as not to have the trench filled 

 full before the middle of August or first of September, and cultivating 

 on the ridges between the rows with some cultivator that will not work 

 the earth into the trenches too fast. If it is thought worth while to 

 take care of the field b}' hand for a part crop, a row of beets, carrots, 

 parsnips, bush beans or some similar crop can be planted on the top 

 of the ridge any time after the asparagus is set. 



The beetles and slugs must be taken care of by the same or similar 

 means as those used on the seed bed, or if hens and chickens can be 

 kept on the field they will be a help. 



At some convenient time during the winter or spring following the 

 setting in the field, and each succeeding year, spread from 10 to 20 

 spreader loads of manure per acre, and at the spring preparation of 



