Asparagus 



25 



ticable to till to any extent ; and later in the season, when 

 the tops are allowed to grow, the whole surface is occu- 

 pied. Some growers disc the plantation just after the last 

 cutting, if the land is hard and weedy; and the cultivator 

 may then be used between the rows before the tops inter- 

 fere. It is well to dress the plantation heavily in the fall 

 with manure, to which one may add night soil, refuse salt 

 or animal fertilizer, if these are available. It may be 

 well, also, to make another dressing of more quickly avail- 

 able fertilizer early in spring. It is very important that 

 the plantation be given the best of surface tillage for the 

 first year or two, to put it in perfect condition. When the 

 plantation finally comes into full bearing, the asparagus 

 appropriates so much of the plant-food and moisture that 

 there is less annoyance from weeds. 



In spring the dressing may be cultivated under, or if it 

 is too coarse for that purpose, the rougher parts may be 

 forked off. After a thorough spring cultivation, it is well 

 again to cover the bed with litter or manure to afford some 

 nourishment, but particularly to conserve the moisture 

 and to produce material for covering the tender shoots 

 in case there is danger of frost. This, however, may be 

 impossible in a large plantation; in such plantations the 

 manure may be applied in spring, at the close of the cut- 

 ting season, or before winter. Chemical fertilizers are now 

 often used freely in place of some of the manure; but the 

 humus content of the soil must be maintained. 



On land to be prepared for asparagus, 20 to 40 tons of 

 manure to the acre are recommended by H. C. Thompson 

 (Farmers' Bull. 829), if the soil is deficient in humus; 



