ISO 



The Canadian Horticumurist. 



-^ J\}t )Kitcl7er) ^ardei). ^ 



CUTTING, BUNCHING, AND SHIPPING ASPARAGUS. 



HE green part, or that which grows above ground, being all that is 

 eaten of asparagus, the more green there is the better price it will 

 command in market. For the south and early cuttings it may be 

 cut when two to three inches above ground. But for near-by and 

 later, it should have from four to six inches of green stem, and be 

 cut low enough to leave some white on, as the white part of the 

 stalks will not shrink or draw up and loosen the bunch. The 

 bunches should be from eight to nine inches long, and four and a 

 half across the butts. The asparagus should be sorted or culled, 

 leaving all broken and small sprouts, which can be bunched by 

 themselves and sold as culls. The heads should be all placed evenly at the top. 

 and the butts cut off squarely, using great care in handling not to bruise nor 

 mjure the heads, which soon ferment and decay. The heads should be kept 

 dry, as moisture causes decay. 



Good, strong Japan Raffia is the best to tie with ; and it is necessary to u.se 

 a box or a bunching machine, so that the bunches may all be of a uniform si/.e. 

 and tied so tightly that they will not fall to pieces in handling. The best knife 

 for cutting is a carpenter's thin firmer gouge, one and a half inches wide, nearly 

 flat, and the thinnest that can be obtained, ground on the convex side or back, 

 about one inch from the end, which should be rounded off on the inside to pre- 

 vent them from injuring sprouts near by. Take the sprout between the fingers 

 of one hand and run the knife close to the sprout, the concave side next to it 

 Tip the handle away to give it the proper slant ; shove down until the cut is 

 made, and then pull the sprout. After cutting and sorting, take a convenient 

 number of sprouts by the upper end.s, and rinse the bottoms in clean water to 

 free them from dirt, taking care not to wet nor bruise the heads. Then put 

 them in the buncher, keej)ing the heads all up even against the stop, l^iy them 

 straight, and when there are the required number to make a bunch, press down 

 lightly, but not hard enough to crush them. Put a tie around them three inches 

 from the top, and another four inches below that, making the knots secure. 

 With a sharp knife cut the butts scjuare and even. To keep them until ready 

 for shipping, set on wet grass or moss, in the shade. 



Crates for shipping sh(juld have two ends and a middle piece, each twelve 

 inches wide, eighteen inches long, and about three-ijuarters of an inch thiik. 

 The bottoms, sides and slats are twenty-eight inches long. Nail on the bottom 



