VEGETABLES ASPARAGUS. 119 



as they would be in one year, if they had been properly 

 cared for. In consequence of this very common neglect 

 of proper cultivation of the seed-bed, it is an almost uni- 

 versal impression that the plants must be two or three 

 years old before planting. This is undoubtedly an error, 

 for almost all large growers for market purposes, in the 

 neighborhood of New York, invariably plant one-year- 

 old plants, and count on marketing a crop the third 

 spring from the time of sowing. One pound of seed will 

 produce about 3,000 plants ; and to plant an acre of As- 

 paragus requires from 15,000 to 20,000 plants when 

 planted close. 



PLANTING. The bed being prepared as previously 

 described, planting may be done any time for six or eight 

 weeks from the opening of spring. The plant, from its 

 peculiar succulent roots, is less susceptible of injury 

 from late planting than most other vegetables, although 

 at the same time delay should not occur, unless unavoid- 

 able, as the sooner it is planted after the ground is in 

 working order, the better will be the result. When there 

 is plenty of ground and the crop is to be extensively 

 grown, perhaps the best mode of planting is in rows 

 three feet apart, the plants nine inches apart in the rows. 

 For private use, or for marketing on a small scale, beds 

 should be formed five feet wide, with three rows planted 

 in each ; one in the middle and one oh each side, a foot 

 from the edge ; the distance of the plants in the rows, 

 nine inches ; the alleys between the beds should be two 

 feet wide. In planting, a line is set and a cut made a 

 little slanting to the depth of six or eight inches, accord- 

 ing to the size of the plants. The plants are then laid 

 against the side of the trench, at the distance already 

 named (nine inches), care being taken to properly spread 

 the roots. The crown or top of the plant should be cov- 

 ered about three inches. In a week or so after planting, 

 the beds should be touched over lightly with a sharp steel 



