PROFIT IN PLUMOSUS 

 GROWN UNDER GLASS 



Northern florists, in general, have the impression that Asparai/iis 

 plumosns cannot he grown profildhlif itnder glass. Hence, the hulk of the 

 country's supply of the cut sprays is ohtahicd fro)n lath hnvses iu Florida 

 and California. This writer reconnnends phonosus as a greenhouse crop. 



SPA RAG US pliuiiosus 



?^^ iKuius, the most popular 

 / » I jrreen now used by florists 

 in (Iccoratiiii,' and dosign- 

 injj, was orii,'inally found 

 in Houth Africa. It is easy 

 1o iniajiinc tliis l)eautil'ul, 

 t'crn-liko i)lant twining its 

 fluffy vinos among tlic 

 l)ranchcs of the trees whicli 

 _row in tliat warm, humid climate. II 

 I ems that originally there was a dwarf 

 orm, wliich lias since been lost track 



• f, besides our ])reseiit vining variety, 

 svhich often sends its shoots to a height 

 ■ f twenty feet. 



As a commercial gicen, it is undouht- 

 ■lly more extensively used in the art of 

 li'corating an-d designing and in the ar- 



;:ingement of loose flow(>rs than any 

 'I her. Its flufliness, combined with its 



ili'cp, rich color, only enhances the 



' rauty of the flowers with which it is 



.issociated. 



Why the Crop Is Profitable. 



As grown in the lath houses of Florida 



• iiid California, iK^wcver, it lacks that 

 'ineness and good culcir wliicli are so 

 ■ :isily distinguishalile in stock grown in 

 .1 greenhouse, where temperature and 



noistun' can be controlled at all times. 



\ it hough it is sometimes grown i" 



■Mings, the great demand is for cut 



prays from eight to thirty six inches 



"Ug, for which a good m.irUct can be 



"und at all times. 



After about ten years of ex]ierimeiita 



iin, during which our beds have grown 



i extent from 100 square feet to over 



ne-third of an acre, we have jirovcd 



'iiat Aspar.'igus plumosus can be both 



• iccessfully ami profitably grown under 

 -lass. Although the ])eriod between 

 ■' cii sowing and the cutting of m:iture 



I'lays seems a long time, yet the pro- 

 ductiveness of tht> beds, wliiili. with 

 ii'per care, will last in good jiroduc- 

 '"n for from fi\e to ten years, jiays the 

 . ower for his patience. When roses, 

 nnis or carnations are remly to cut, 

 ' '-y must be sold or lost. If the market 

 ' dull wlien ;i cro]> of As])aragns pin- 

 ""SII-; is ready, the grower may hold it 

 ■"' one, two or even three months, or 

 'itil tlip market is better. That ]>oint 

 '"'Uhl receive serious consideration, as 

 ^' know that thousamls of fine flowers 

 ''■ lost each year on ac<'ount of over- 

 ■'"duction during some seasons of the 

 far. 



The life of Asparagus pUunosus is re- 

 'narkably long even after it is cut. 

 I'iovver shops often receive only onx" ship- 

 »iont each week, easily holdini,' it in good 

 ^hape for that length of time. It is, 



By R. R. SPANABEL. 



1 liirt'fnre, a gooil sliipprr, nften t Divid- 

 ing from three to fi\e days in >hi|>ini'iit s 

 to the niirtliern florist-; liy Florida and 

 California giijwers. 



Asparagus jilumosus ddcs not bloom 

 until it is about 12 years oM. The flowers, 

 which are extremely small, appear on the 

 oldest sjjrays in great nuinbers. They 

 soon drop (iff and the sninll, green seed 

 pods take their jdaies. The jidds grow 

 to about the si/e of ;i lariie pea, con- 

 taining either one or two seeds, which 

 are black and hard. When ripe the pods 

 are a bright red: they sIkhiM then be 

 picked and cared fer until scpwciI. Seed 

 should be |pi(d<ed froiii stnoig, healthy 

 jil.'Uits (inly: in tliat w;iy the stuck is 

 strengthened and jilaiits of the gr<'ati>st 

 possible product i\eiiess result. 



From Pots to Gromid Beds. 



Seed ni.'iy be snwn at any time, in 

 boxes abciut tlirec^ in<'lies deep, and should 

 be ciivered with li^'ht le.ain. In a well 

 lighted house, with a temperature of 

 about 00 degriM's, a ijnod jiercentage of 

 the seed will germinate. After the s(>ed- 

 lini;s are about thre«> inidies high and 

 show a sturdy top, they sliouhl lie pi>tteil 

 in 2io-inch jiots, in good, not too heavy 

 loam. They should not be permitted to 

 become dry, or their growth will be 

 stunted. A light house and a tempera- 

 ture of 55 degrees will suit them. When 



W(dl rootiMl they should be shifteil into 

 •} iiudi ])ots, there to remain until bedded. 

 The beds should be on the ground, as 

 ground beds are more economical than 

 raised beds, are more easily cared for 

 and ]iroduce far better results. The soil 

 in the be(|s should be medium heavy 

 and should cont.ain ab(nit one-fourth W(dl 

 r(dted manure. T1h> dejjtli of the soil 

 will larg(dy determine the life of the 

 beds: the dejith should not l)e less than 

 eight inches ami (ireferably twelve or 

 fourteen imdies. The great objection to 

 raised beds is that the j»ro])er deiitli can- 

 nfit be (d)tained without extra ex[iens(^ 

 for material. It is also dillicult to kee]) 

 raised beds moist enough for the best 

 growth (d' the sjirays. Should there be 

 danger of the plants getting wet feet, 

 as would be jirobable if the greenhouse 

 floor is of a heavy, sticky claj-, the walks 

 ma\' be ilug out to a depth ol' about six 

 inches and filled with ashes. 



Watering, Feeding and Wiring. 



l)uring the winter months tlii' water- 

 ing should be done on bright days, if 

 jiossild(>, and beneath the f(diage. In 

 summer, should the foliage become in- 

 fested with reil sjiidt'r, syringing will be 

 necessary: this will also be of benelit 

 to the color and <piality of the sprays. 



P.eds fivi' feet wide are used, accom 

 modating six jil.ants sicross the bed if 

 they are jilanted twelve inches ajiart 

 each way. That clistance allows plenty 

 of roonl for cult i\at ion and top dressing. 

 ("ultivation should t;ike pl.ace several 

 times before the growth prevents it. 

 This not only keejps the soil Iom^c oh top, 

 but, as in the case of other cro[>s, in- 

 creases the growth and conserves nwds- 

 ture. Uiili'ss the soil is es|iecially solid, 

 this cultivating should be done with 

 the fingers, ;is the new shoots ;ire tender 

 ancl easily bndveii. A tool such ;is is 

 often used for that i>ur[iose will do great 

 damage unless usecl with care. 



I'ertili/.ing by top-dressing shoidd bc- 

 uin during the secorni summer at'ter the 

 beds ha\e been jdailteil, ;ind the ;ip- 



plications should be liberal. Shredded 

 cattle manure or pidverized sheep man- 

 ure is most satisfactory, althouiih rather 

 expensive for this purpose. These ma- 

 nures cont.-iin no Weecl seeds and ai'e 

 free from ilangerous insects and diseases. 

 They are also easier to apply than barn- 

 yard manure, which i^! often h.alf str.aw 

 or litter. Lirpiid manure may be used, 

 but to|i-dressini; is preferred, as it feeds 

 the plants slowly. The top-dressing i.^ 

 one of the most important items in the 

 growth of asparagus; it not only fer- 

 tilizes, but ])revents weeds; the soil 

 does not liake anil the manure liold-i 



