l6o ASPARAGUS 



tilizer along these furrows and then turn for a third 

 time, so as to enrich the ground immediately below the 

 roots to be set out. These furrows are run from four 

 to six feet apart, the latter being considered the better 

 usage. In them one-3'ear-old plants are then set b}- 

 hand at distances varj'ing from eighteen inches to 

 three feet. The former distance is preferred bj' the 

 Italian growers on Bay Farm Island in San Fran- 

 cisco Bay, but the Southern growers and those along 

 the Sacramento River lean to the greater distance. 

 The only difierence seems to be whether there will be 

 sufficient nutriment in the .soil to force the plant into 

 giving as large and tender shoots as where each plant 

 is allowed a larger area. The plants are set with the 

 crowns about four inches below the surface and the 

 roots are carefully spread out before covering. Plant- 

 ing is done any time from November to April, but the 

 middle of February is perhaps the most common time. 



The culture for the first year consists in keeping 

 the soil loose and free from weeds. Ordinarily other 

 crops are grown between the rows, and their cultiva- 

 tion ser\'es to keep the ground in proper condition. 

 The asparagus is allowed to come up, feather, and .seed 

 without interference, no cutting being done the first 

 year. Care, however, is taken to cut off the tops 

 clo.se to the ground in the fall before the seed begins 

 to drop — the volunteer asparagus being the worst 

 enemy in culture with which the grower has to deal. 

 About the beginning of the rainy season a heavj' coat- 

 ing of manure is placed o\er the beds and left to be 

 leeched in by the rains. 



The second year some growers cut more or less for 



