180 VEGETABLE FORCING 
planted and they have become largely exhausted by cut- 
ting year after year. In all such cases the roots lack 
vigor, and when planted in the forcing bed produce small 
shoots and light crops. The planting of a few such roots 
to meet the demand of the home table is not objection- 
able, but when choice shoots are wanted for market the 
strong, vigorous roots must be employed for forcing. 
Good roots, such as the one shown in Fig. 60, cannot 
be grown except from good seed selected from strong, 
rust-resistant plants. Such seed is now obtainable from 
specialists. A rich plot of ground should be selected to 
start the plants, well supplied with fine, rotten manure 
and available plant food. The seed should be sown as 
early in the spring as the ground can be worked. If very 
strong plants are to be grown, it is desirable to be liberal 
in the space allowed for each plant. A seed dropped 
every 3 inches in the row, and the rows 16 to 18 inches 
apart, will give each plant room for its best development. 
A few radish seeds sown with the asparagus will germi- 
nate promptly and mark the rows, and thus facilitate 
cultivation. The asparagus seeds are slow to germinate 
and the plants will not appear for about four weeks. 
There should be frequent tillage throughout the summer. 
An excellent plan is to cultivate the nursery until mid- 
summer and then apply a 38-inch mulch of horse manure 
which has been aerated a few days by spreading it in a 
loose pile not more than 18 inches deep. The manure 
will prevent weed growth and conserve soil moisture 
more perfectly than tillage, and liquid plant food will be 
furnished the asparagus after every rain. Overhead irri- 
gation and manure mulching can be used to advantage in 
growing strong roots. Top-dressing a few times during 
the summer with nitrate of soda at the rate of 100 pounds 
to the acre will prove beneficial unless the soil is very 
fertile. No effort should be spared to grow unusually 
strong roots. 
