ASPARAGUS 1 1 7 



Preparation of the land. The general preparation of the land 

 and the depth of planting the roots have been described on page 

 1 14 and are the same for both systems of culture. 



Distance to plant. Roots for the production of green grass 

 should be set in rows 3 or 4 feet apart and 18 inches apart in 

 the row, while the roots for blanched grass should be planted 

 in rows 6 or 8 feet apart with the individual plants 18 inches 

 apart in the row. Green grass can be grown in soil too stiff and 

 retentive to be used for the blanched. With green asparagus, clean, 

 level culture after cutting and a mulch during the winter and early 



FIG. 36. Asparagus hiller 



spring are usually sufficient. Frequently, however, spring culti- 

 vation is also necessary. Blanched grass, on the other hand, is 

 economically produced only on light, sandy soils which can be 

 easily handled early in the season. As soon as the crowns have 

 grown strong enough, which is usually the case after two or three 

 years of clean culture, a ridge from 1 8 inches to 2 feet in height is 

 thrown up along the line of the row before the shoots have made 

 much growth in the spring. An implement such as shown in figure 

 36 is used for dressing the ridges after they have been roughed 

 up with the plow or disk. Following this the tops of the ridges 

 are slightly knocked off by the use of a long board with tenpenny 



