58 



ASPARAGUS 



If the entire ground has been heavily fertilized, 

 plowing manure in the trenches will not be necessar}-, 

 yet many experienced asparagus growers think that 

 it pays to scatter some fertilizing material into the 

 trenches before planting. A favorite plan with Long 

 Island growers is to mix half a ton of ground bone, or 

 fish scrap, with one hundred pounds of nitrate of soda 

 per acre, and thoroughly incorporate this mixture with 



FIG. l6 — HUDSON'S TRENCHER 



the soil to a depth of three inches before setting the 

 plants. Others prefer thoroughly decomposed manure 

 spread over the bottom of the furrow, to a depth of 

 about three inches, before setting the plants. Others 

 prefer thoroughly decomposed manure spread over the 

 bottom of the furrow, to a depth of about three inches, 

 and covering it with two inches of fine soil. If the 

 roots are to be planted four or more feet apart it will 

 be sufficient to throw a shovelful of manure where the 

 roots are to be placed. This is then spread out so as to 



