CHAPTER TEN 



PERENNIAL VEGETABLE PROJECTS 



Asparagus, Rhubarb, Jerusalem Artichoke, Globe Artichoke 



Asparagus, rhubarb, Jerusalem artichoke, and globe artichoke 

 comprise the perennial group of vegetables, and they are men- 

 tioned in order of importance. The artichokes are of so little 

 importance that they are not given consideration as projects. 

 The perennial vegetables are grown successfully throughout the 

 North. They require fertile, well-drained soils. 



Project XVIII. Growing Asparagus 



Asparagus belongs to the lily family. Asparagus and onions 

 are about the only crop plants of this large family, but numerous 

 ornamental plants and some bad weeds belong here. Asparagus 

 is a native of Europe and Asia, where it has been under cultivation 

 for more than' 2000 years, having been known to the ancient 

 Greeks and Romans. It is a rugged plant able to withstand dry 

 and poor soil but doing best in well-tilled soil rich in vegetable 

 matter. In addition to common garden asparagus, there are 

 several closely related ornamental species of asparagus. The so- 

 called " asparagus fern " {A. sprengeri) and " plumy asparagus " 

 used for decorative purposes and hanging baskets, and the " smi- 

 lax " of greenhouses belong to the same genus as the edible as- 

 paragus. 



Asparagus has two sorts of stems, those growing underground 

 and those coming above the ground. The underground stems 



267 



