28 



Perennial Crops 



may be necessary to cut every day; later two or three 

 times a week may be sufficient. Some of the best growers 

 advise the breaking of the asparagus shoots rather than 



cutting them. There is then 

 no danger of injuring the 

 crown, and the shoot will 

 not break in the tough and 

 stringy part and therefore 

 the product is sure to be ten- 

 der and crisp. This is no 

 doubt the better method, but 

 the formal demands of the 

 market make it difficult to 

 sell broken asparagus, not- 

 withstanding its surer qual- 

 ity. 



Asparagus is sold in 

 bunches 4 or 5 inches in diameter, weighing something 

 over 2 pounds and comprising 12 to 30 stalks. These 

 bunches are tied with soft cord, raffia or tape, although 

 some growers now use rubber bands. Usually the market 

 requires that the butt end of the bunch be cut off 

 square. An average bunch is 7 to 9 inches long. As- 

 paragus " bunchers " — which are forms for holding the 

 bunch and cord, and a knife for cutting the butts — can 

 be had of dealers in gardeners' supplies (Fig. 2). If 

 not marketed at once, the bunches may be stood in a 

 shallow tray of clean water. The shoots should be graded 

 as to size and quality, and they may be washed before 

 bunching. 



2. Asparagus buncher; also knife 

 or spud for cutting the plants in 

 the field. 



