1478 The Vegetable Industry ih New Yorik State 



as the crop is gathered, sow the land to some cover crop — crim- 

 son clover, if it will grow. If in a locality where none of the 

 legumes can be grown, sow to oats or barley, but not rye, as the 

 latter makes too much trouble in fitting the soil the following 

 spring. 



Sometime during the winter, prior to setting the plants, broad- 

 cast the area with yard or stable manure, using twelve to fifteen 

 tons per acre. As early as possible plow as deep as soil will per- 

 mit, turning everything under, harrow and mark off in rows five 

 and one-half feet apart using a good two-horse turning plow, and 

 then go each way in the same furrow making it as deep as the 

 soil will permit, but do not go more than one inch into the subsoil. 

 In the bottom of the furrow set the plants. 



SETTING THE YOUNG BED 



The young crowns should first be sorted and all small and weak 

 speciments thrown out. Second, a sharp lookout should be kept for 

 any individuals that have numerous eyes or bud fully developed, 

 and they also should be cast out. A plant with that characteristic 

 will always do the same, that is, produce numerous but small 

 shoots. 



Have a good lively boy to drop the plants and have him drop 

 them on the inside edge of the plow furrow. Then let the setter 

 grasp the plant by about one-half of the roots and place his thumb 

 on the buds ; straighten out the other half of the roots ; place 

 the plant on the solid bottom of the trench and cover with about 

 two inches of soil ; step forward with one foot on either side of 

 the plant just set, which firms the soil. Place the next plant 

 twenty inches distant and continue. Some growers plant as close 

 in the row as fifteen or sixteen inches, while others claim two 

 feet the proper distance. It resolves itself down to this: the nar- 

 row distance gives a crop earlier in the life of the bed but makes 

 it shorter lived. The farther apart the plants are set the longer 

 the life of the bed — all other things being equal. Some early 

 hoed crop like peas, beans, carrots, etc., may be grown between the 

 rows of asparagus the first season but not after. No manure should 

 be used under the young plants because they live and start bet- 

 ter on a solid bottom, and because it induces mice to harbor un- 

 der it and destroy numerous plants. 



