ASPARAGUS 1 1 5 



dressed with well-decomposed stable manure, over which a layer 

 of 2 or 3 inches of fresh earth should then be spread. The plants 

 are set 1 8 inches apart, so that the crowns will be 8 inches or more 

 below the general surface of the soil, but are not deeply covered at 

 first. The idea is to leave the trench open, with only about 2 inches 

 of soil over the crowns of the plants and, as the season advances 

 and the plants become strong, gradually to work the soil in about 

 them until at the close of the season the surface is practically level. 



The cultivation during the first year should be the same as that 

 for corn or potatoes level culture which will prevent the growth 

 of weeds from smothering the plants. Such cultivation should be 

 kept up until the third year, when the asparagus will have gained 

 sufficient strength to admit of cutting to a slight extent. It must 

 be remembered that the young shoots constituting the commercial 

 product are really the forerunners of the stems and leaves, and 

 hence are the vital parts of the plant by means of which, during 

 the growing season, it stores up a sufficient amount of food in 

 the roots to enable them to throw up strong shoots the following 

 season. It is therefore important that the cutting should not be 

 severe enough to reduce materially the strength of the plant early 

 in its life. 



Plants. Asparagus is readily propagated from seeds, and in some 

 localities the growing of asparagus plants for extensive planters 

 in other localities is an important commercial industry. There are 

 growers in New Jersey who make the production of asparagus 

 roots for use in the Southern states a large part of their business. 

 New Jersey seems to be admirably adapted for the production of 

 the young asparagus plants, and the growers have become very 

 expert in their production. The planter may produce his own 

 seedling plants or he may purchase them from some one who 

 makes a specialty of growing them. As a rule, well-grown, one- 

 year-old or two-year-old plants are more desirable than older roots 

 for starting a commercial plantation. Asparagus during the first 

 year makes comparatively little top growth, seldom producing 

 stalks which are thicker than a well-grown rye straw but making a 

 large number of thick, fleshy roots of considerable length. These, 

 at planting time, should be handled carefully and spread out in 

 normal position in the trenches described above. 



