ASPARAGUS 461 



The culture of the leading vegetables. 



Having now obtained a view of the layout of the vegetable- 

 garden and a good conception of the leading cultural groups, 

 we may proceed with a discussion of the different kinds of 

 vegetables themselves. Good experience is better than book 

 advice ; but the person who consults a book is the one who 

 lacks experience. Any printed directions are necessarily im- 

 perfect, and they may not be adaptable to the particular con- 

 ditions under which the amateur works ; but they ought to set 

 him in the right direction so that he may more easily find his 

 way. Seedsmen's catalogues often contain much useful and 

 reliable advice of this kind. 



Asparagus. — The best of all early spring vegetables; a hardy her- 

 baceous perennial, grown for the soft edible shoots that spring from 

 the crown. 



The culture of asparagus has been simplified in the past few years, 

 and at present the knowledge required successfully to plant and grow 

 a good supply need not be that of a professional. The old method of 

 excavating to the depth of 3 feet or more, throwing in from 4 to 6 inches 

 of broken stone or bricks for drainage, then filling to within 16 to 18 

 inches of the surface with well-rotted manure, with 6 inches of soil 

 upon which to set the roots, has given place to the simple practice 

 of plowing or digging a trench from 14 to 16 inches deep, spreading 

 well-rotted manure in the bottom to the depth of 3 or 4 inches; when 

 well trodden down covering the manure with 3 or 4 inches of good gar- 

 den soil, then setting the plants, with the roots well spread out, cover- 

 ing carefully with soil to the level of the garden, and firming the soil 

 with the feet. This will leave the crowns of the plants from 4 to 

 5 inches below the surface. 



In stubborn, heavy soil the best method to pursue in making a 

 permanent bed is to throw out all the dirt from the trench and replace 

 with good, fibrous loam. 



In setting, 1-year-old plants will prove more satisfactory than 

 older ones, being less liable to suffer from injury to the root system than 

 those that have made a larger growth. Two years after setting the 



