556 
The bur, or flower bud, is the part used, 
and the burs should be gathered before 
the blossom part appears. If they are 
removed and no seed is allowed to form, 
the plants will continue to produce until 
the end of the season. 
“The heads, or burs, of the French arti- 
choke are prepared for the table by boil- 
ing, and served with melted butter or 
with cream dressing. 
Artichoke, Jerusalem 
“The Jerusalem artichoke will grow in 
any good garden soil, and should be plant- 
ed three to four feet apart each way, with 
three or four small tubers in a hill. If 
large tubers are used for planting they 
should be cut the same as Irish potatoes. 
Plant as soon as the ground becomes 
warm in the spring and cultivate as for 
corn. A pint of tubers cut to eyes will 
plant about 30 hills. The tubers will be 
ready for use in October, but may remain 
in the ground and be dug at any time 
during the winter. 
“The tubers are prepared by boiling 
until soft, and are served with butter or 
creamed. They are also used for salads 
and pickles. 
“The Jerusalem artichoke is not of 
great importance as a garden vegetable, 
and the plant has a tendency to become 
a weed.” 
ASHES, Woop. 
tilization of. 
See Apple Orchard, Fer- 
Asparagus 
Asparagus belongs to a genus of plant 
containing more than 100 species. It was 
introduced into America from Europe and 
has become in this country an important 
article of food. Several of the climbing 
species are grown in greenhouses for 
their delicate feathery branches and are 
valuable for cuttings and decorations. 
The young shoots of the species Aspar- 
agus officinalis have from very early 
times been much prized for food, owing 
to their pleasant flavor and slightly laxa- 
tive properties. This species is a native 
of the north temperate zone of the old 
world, and grows wild on the south coast 
of England. On the waste steppes of Rus- 
sia it is so abundant that it is eaten by 
cattle like grass. 
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF PRACTICAL HORTICULTURE 
In some sections ot the country, aspar- 
agus is grown largely tor the markets, It 
is also grown in vers many private gar- 
dens for home use. It is very hardy, is q 
vigorous grower, and heavy feeder: there. 
fore will succeed best on a very rich soi] 
It can be grown in sections strong jn 
mineral salts, such as alkali, or in deep 
alluvial and peaty soils. Where the na. 
tive soil is not adapted, it can be made 
adaptable by the digging of trenches, and 
filing in with barnyard manure, sand 
(where the soil is a heavy clay), muck, 
rotten leaves or other fertilizers, For 
commercial purposes, asparagus is planted 
In rows, about the width of corn rows, 
three to four feet apart, and the roots 
are planted in hills about the same dis. 
tance apart, or sometimes not more than 
two feet apart. Some growers plant so 
that the stalks will row both ways, and 
the ground can be cultivated both length- 
wise and across the field. For home use, 
however, it requires but few stalks and 
it is generally planted in trenches, or in 
beds. 
Propagation from Seeds 
Seeds should be sown in rows three to 
four feet apart, so as to admit of cultiva- 
tion. The seeds should be planted two to 
four inches apart in the rows, and kept 
free from weeds. The time of planting 
is about that of any other spring crop, 
but may be earlier, because asparagus is 
not easily injured by spring frosts. These 
are termed nursery plants, and may be 
removed the following autumn or spring, 
and set in permanent beds, or rows, as 
the case may be. 
Transplanting 
Not all the plants grown should be 
transplanted to the field or bed. There 
is great variety of tenderness or tough- 
ness in the plants, and only the tender 
plants are good for food or for market. 
The tender plants lengthen rapidly, pro- 
duce a straight succulent needle-like 
stem, and do not branch near the ground; 
while the tough plants lengthen more 
slowly and tend to branch near the 
ground. Further, the tender plants are 
usually straight-grained smooth and blunt 
at the tips. When the plants are but few 
