22O THE SMALL COUNTRY PLACE 



stable manure per acre and expect to obtain at least two 

 and sometimes three crops from the same land in a 

 season, though often using a liberal dressing of com- 

 mercial fertilizer to help bring on the last crop. Each 

 of the principal market-garden crops will require special 

 treatment of the details of which our space will allow only 

 a brief mention, but the reader is referred to the fol- 

 lowing books: "Vegetable Gardening" (Green), "How 

 to Make the Garden Pay" (Griener), "Success in Mar- 

 ket Gardening" (Rawson). We note the most impor- 

 tant points to be considered in growing the following 



crops: 



ASPARAGUS. 



This crop succeeds best in a light sandy soil, free 

 from small stones if possible. Plants are started from 

 seed sown in the spring in long rows or beds as carrot 

 or onion seeds are sown, and to make the best plants 

 are thinned out to two inches apart. They are in the 

 best condition for planting the following spring, though 

 many prefer to set plants two years old. 



Planting. 



The land is plowed as deeply as possible with a 

 single plow or, better, the subsoil or trench plow may 

 follow it, thus working the soil from twelve to fifteen 

 inches deep. After thorough harrowing it is furrowed 

 deeply five feet apart, the plants to be set eighteen 

 inches in the row. If a large plow is used and run two 

 or three times in a furrow they may be made from 

 eight to ten inches deep, which is the best depth for 

 setting the asparagus plants. Manure or fertilizer 

 may be used in the furrow before the plants are set, 

 or it may be spread on broadcast before plowing. The 

 plants are set about eighteen inches apart and covered 

 with only a few inches of soil well pressed upon the 

 roots with the -feet. 



