CULTURE IN DIFFERENT LOCALITIES 1 47 



asparagus roots iu. Proceed with the other rows in 

 the same manner, and 3^ou will have a good-looking 

 plantation. 



The larger growers in Concord set the plants two 

 feet apart in the row and have the rows four feet apart. 

 The plants are set in the bottom of the furrow, covered 

 two inches, and should level up by fall so that the 

 crowns will be six or seven inches below the surface. 

 The furrows may be made very deep, so that manure 

 can be placed in the bottom, or fertilizer may bestrewn 

 before the plants are set or after. The roots should be 

 spread out carefully in the bottom of the furrow, care 

 being taken to have them in line. The bed should be 

 cultivated with a fine-tooth cultivator or weeder often 

 enough to prevent the growth of weeds. Keep the bed 

 clean and do not have the trenches filled in before the 

 last of September. The tops should not be cut in the 

 fall of the first year, as the snow will be held by them, 

 and thereby protedl the roots to some extent. Some 

 growers spread coarse manure on their beds in the fall 

 to prevent the soil from being blown away and also to 

 prevent winter killing, which, however, is rare. 



In the second year the bed may be plowed or 

 wheel-harrowed in the spring as early as possible. Con- 

 cord growers use animal manure or chemical fertil- 

 izers, as the case may be or as the bed may require. 

 The bed should be smooth harrowed just before the 

 new shoots appear, and good clean cultivation given 

 during the season. After harrowing or plowing in the 

 third year, sow your chemicals or fertilizer broadcast 

 and harrow in. A good formula for asparagus is : 

 Nitrate of soda, 300 to 400 pounds; muriate of potash, 



