6o ASPARAGUS 



center and the rootlets spread out evenly and horizon- 

 tally, like the spokes of a wheel, and at once covered 

 with three inches of fine, mellow soil, which is pressed 

 around them. If the ground is dry at planting-time it 

 should be pressed down quite firmly about the roots, so 

 as to prevent their drying out, and to hasten their 

 growth. 



To still more insure success it is an excellent plan 

 to draw up little hills of soil in the bottom of the 



FIG. l8 — CROSS-SECTION OF ASPARAGUS BED AFTER PLANTING 



trench over which to place the roots with the crowns 

 resting on the top, thus raising the crowns a few 

 inches above the extremities of the roots and providing 

 for them a position similar to what they stood in before 

 transplanting, as seen in Fig. 17. 



The subsequent covering of the roots can usually 

 be done with a one-horse plow, from which the mold- 

 board has been removed, passing down the sides of the 

 row. This leaves the plants in a depression, the soil 

 thrown out in opening the rows forming a ridge on 

 each side, as shown in Fig. 18. This depression will 

 gradually become filled during the process of cultiva- 

 tion the succeeding summer. 



