56 GARDEN STEPS 



Enemies 



Besides the rust, already spoken of, and for which 

 no satisfactory cure has been found, the stalks are 

 attacked by a small beetle which sometimes, though 

 not frequently, does a good deal of harm. The best 

 way to check this pest is to let chickens run in the 

 bed. A flock of chickens is the ideal caretaker for 

 the asparagus bed. They will fertilize it, cultivate 

 it, keep the weeds out, and eat every beetle that 

 comes around. Certain precautions, however, must 

 be taken. It is often said that chickens will not 

 eat asparagus, but this is not true. They will eat 

 the stalks and spoil them, if other green stuff is not 

 at hand. Care must be taken, then, not to have 

 the flock so large that they eat all growing green 

 stuff. If you can inclose a bit of sod ground with 

 the asparagus, that will satisfy their appetites for 

 green food, and they will not touch the stalks. 



