ASPARAGUS 1477 
rows about 2 feet, 9 inches distant, opening each furrow with a 
plow; scatter in each row fertilizer analyzing about 4-8-10, at 
the rate of 800 pounds per acre. Mix this well with the loose soil 
and cover by throwing a furrow on it from each side, making a 
low ridge, and rake off flat. Sow seeds with a drill set to sow 
about three seeds to the inch, and also set to sow at a depth of one 
inch or a little more. If the soil is light one and one-half inches 
will be better. 
The plants will be from three to four weeks coming through, 
according to the temperature and the time planted. From now 
on the main attention is cultivation, hoeing and additional fer- 
tilization. The young plants must be kept scrupulously clean and 
the soil around and about them mellow by frequent hand hoeings 
and horse cultivations. 
Early in July an application at the rate of 200 pounds of 
nitrate of soda applied alongside the row and worked in, will 
be found valuable. This will stimulate the vegetable growth of 
the young plant but will be effective only about a month, so an- 
other application in August is desirable. The latter will last 
through the season. The object is to get as much growth as possible 
in one short growing season. If this work is carefully done and 
instructions carefully carried out, a better plant will be had at 
one year of age than is commonly grown in two years, and far 
better than any two-year-old plant. 
PREPARATION OF THE PERMANENT BED 
Since much depends on the appearance as well as size of the 
shoots much thought should be given to the soil where the bed is 
to be established. The soil should be more or less of a sandy 
nature, free from stones, fairly level, sloping toward the sun 
rather than from it, and the more depth of soil the better. On a 
soil that is thin and that is situated above a compact subsoil this 
crop will not do its best. The subsoil should be quite open — one 
easily penetrated by the roots. 
The preparation of a plot or field for asparagus should begin 
the season before the plants are to be set. This can be done by 
growing thereon some hoed crop that requires liberal manuring 
and clean cultivation, allowing no weeds to go to seed. As soon 
