CULTIVATION OF VEGETABLES 

 IN THE FARM-GARDEN. 



ASPARAGUS. 



Sow Asparagus seed in rich, mellow soil, early in the 

 spring, in rows about fifteen inches apart, dropping the 

 seed an inch apart in the rows and covering about one 

 inch deep. When the plants come up hoe the ground 

 between the rows, and pull out any weeds that are among 

 the plants and those that cannot be reached with the hoe. 

 Next spring, when the plants are a year old, set them 

 out in the bed where they are to stay for the rest of their 

 lives. The land should be free from stagnant water. 

 It cannot be too rich. But the real secret of success in 

 growing large asparagus is to give the plants plenty of 

 room and to keep out all the weeds. 



If you have no asparagus bed, at least a year's time 

 may be saved by purchasing plants or roots. As a rule, 

 those on sale are two years old. If strong and well grown, 

 one-year-old plants are quite as good as those that are 

 older. In fact, I would rather have a good one-year-old 

 plant than a stunted, two-year-old one. It is never de- 

 sirable to set out plants that are more than two years' old. 



The true plan, if you have no asparagus bed, is to buy 

 roots enough to set out a bed this spring, and at the same 

 time sow a few ounces of seed, as above directed, in an- 

 other part of the garden. A pound of good seed ought 

 to give at least ten thousand plants. 



It would be well to sow the seed thicker than I have 

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