ii6 



upon whether green or white asparagus is desired. 

 The white asparagus requires greater distance, es- 

 pecially between the rows, in order that the soil may 

 be thrown over the rows in the springtime for 

 the purpose of blanching the stalks. Cultivation 

 during the first, second and third years should be 

 the same as for corn or potatoes. All weeds should 

 be kept out and a good dust mulch maintained dur- 

 ing the summer to conserve and hold the moisture. 

 Cutting should not begin before the third season 

 and then should not be continued later than the first 

 of June. This is important, because if cutting is 

 started too early the plantation will never furnish 

 the large fleshy stalks so much desired by the better 

 markets. 



The asparagus plants are of two types — the stam- 

 inate or non-seed bearing and the pistillate or seed 



SOME ASPARAGUS BUNCHERS 



bearing. These two types are found growing to- 

 gether and are, of course, necessary for the produc- 

 tion of seed. Various experiments, however, have 

 shown that the production of seed is devitalizing, 

 and results in smaller and fewer stocks than is pro- 

 duced by the staminate or non-seed producing 

 plants. 



Many successful growers follow various plans of 

 selection by means of which the percentage of the 



