LEADING VEGETABLE CROPS II9 



at both top and bottom, and in such a way as to 

 keep them firm and tight until broken for use. 

 The rubber band is especially valuable from this 

 standpoint, because of the fact that it takes up. all 

 shrinkage and always keeps the bunches tight. If 

 green asparagus is being produced for fancy market 

 it is usually a better plan to break rather than cut the 

 stalks, thus insuring absolute freedom from the 

 objectionable woody ends. 



Asparagus is comparatively free from various 

 insect and disease enemies. The only serious insect 

 enemy is the asparagus beetle. The beetle lives 

 over winter in the adult form in rubbish or any 

 other convenient protection, and in April or early 

 May lays its eggs on the new shoots. The larvae 

 soon hatch and together with the adult beetles feed 

 upon the tender stems as they appear above the 

 ground. Various methods may be employed to 

 control this pest. Occasional plants may be left uncut, 

 upon which the beetles will largely deposit their 

 eggs. These trap plants are cut at least once a 

 week and destroyed, while others are allowed to 

 take their place. In this way large numbers of the 

 eggs will be destroyed before hatching. The 

 cutting of blanched asparagus is an effective method 

 of combating asparagus beetles because all shoots 

 are cut off before they appear above ground. This 

 leaves no plants for the beetles to feed upon. After 

 the cutting season they may be readily destroyed 

 by spraying with either arsenate of lead or paris 

 green, preferably the former. 



The asparagus rust is by far the worst enemy of 

 the asparag.us grower. This disease makes its ap- 

 pearance the latter part of July or first of August 

 in the form of reddish-brown streaks and spots over 



