I02 ASPARAGUS 



covered with six or eight inches of soil. The same 

 objecft may be obtained by shutting off the light, which 

 can easily be accomplished under greenhouse benches. 

 Where it is not pradticable to make excavations under 

 the benches, a pit ma}^ be construdled by placing 

 boards against the posts and filling in the space thus 

 furnished. To secure a succession, new roots from 

 the reserve stock have to be planted every three or 

 four weeks. 



For the first week or ten days after placing the 

 roots in the forcing-pit they should be kept rather cool, 

 so as to give them a chance to become established. A 

 temperature of 45° to 50° is best, at first. Afterward 

 it should be raised to 55° to 60°, and during the day 

 it may rise as high as 80° to 85°. But, as a rule, very 

 high temperatures induce a spindling growth. During 

 the entire forcing process asparagus requires a large 

 amount of water, but unless it has the chill taken off, 

 and ample means for drainage are provided, it may do 

 far more harm than good. The interval between the 

 time of planting and the first cutting varies greatly, 

 according to the temperature and other conditions. 



The following are a(5lual dates of asparagus forcing 

 under benches at Cornell University : Plants taken 

 from an old patch November 29th and set under 

 benches three days later. December 4th, shoots just 

 pushing through. December 8th, first shoots cut, 

 averaging nine inches long. December 14th, first good 

 cutting, shoots running from six to fifteen inches long. 

 December i8th, second good cutting. December 26th, 

 a good cutting, some of the shoots having remained 

 too long and become woody ; some of these shoots were 



