42 ^ASM-GARDENING AND SEED-GROWING. 



as deep as possible, following with the harrow until the 

 surface soil is finely pulverized. 



In the spring, apply well-rotted stable-manure, broad- 

 cast, at the rate of sixty-two horse-loads to the acre, or 

 when this can not be obtained use raw bone-dust, two 

 tons to the acre. These two fertilizers may be used to- 

 gether ; one half the above-named quantities of each to 

 the acre. 



Plow deep, again using the subsoil plow ; harrow finely 

 and evenly. 



If the ground is poor, use about two barrels of bone- 

 phosphate, or seventy-five pounds of Peruvian guano, to 

 the acre in the rows, applied at the first hoeing. 



Planting and Cultivating, Asparagus may be set in 

 the fall, but it is far preferable to use the fall and winter 

 in preparing the land, carting manure, etc. ; thus having 

 everything ready for an early start in the spring, and the 

 earlier it is set out the better. There is a diversity of 

 opinion in regard to the most suitable distance at which 

 the plants should be set to obtain the greatest results. 



Some advise setting fifteen to eighteen inches each way, 

 while others argue that better results will be obtained by 

 placing them six feet each way. My own observation 

 and experience convince me that these are opposite ex- 

 tremes. When the bed has been thoroughly prepared by 

 plowing, subsoiling, manuring, and harrowing, mark out 

 furrows five feet apart and about eight inches deep. Set 

 the plants eighteen inches apart, spreading the roots, cov- 

 ering and fastening them firmly, burying the crowns about 

 one inch. At the distance here given, five thousand five 

 hundred and eight will set an acre. 



The crown and roots occupying about two inches, the 

 top of the crown (though to be covered only one inch at 

 first) will be about six inches below the level of the sur- 

 face when the furrows have become filled with earth. As 

 soon as the stalks or young shoots appear, cultivate and 



