24 THE BOOK OF ASPARAGUS 



with a slight twist of the wrist sever the shoot as low 

 as possible, and in so doing do not allow the knife to go 

 too far, or young shoots near will be destroyed. A good 

 many shoots just starting are often killed in this way. 



There is much difference of opinion as to the length 

 of " green" a shoot should possess, but none should be 

 reckoned as first-class if the heads are loose. They 

 should all be compact, and with a mauve or purple tint. 

 Some varieties are a little darker than others, but, when 

 well grown and robust, with heads compact and of the 

 tint described, asparagus commands the best price. 

 Eight inches is a good length. The first year that the 

 plants produce a crop do not cut severely, but allow a few 

 of the smaller shoots to grow up, and do not continue the 

 cuttings so late as can be safely done with older plants. 

 In the first year do not cut after the end of May — with 

 older plantations I give orders on no account to cut after 

 the fifteenth of June. Some people are never willing to 

 forego cutting as long as good stems appear, but such 

 are deservedly foredoomed to have inferior crops in after 

 years. No other plant will tolerate the continual cut- 

 ting which asparagus bears. Even horse-radish would 

 object, and I know that thistles and docks cannot survive 

 such persistent decapitation. Yet asparagus bears three 

 months of continuous guillotining without apparent injury, 

 and, though every shoot be cut off from the early spring 

 till the middle of June, will recoup itself for the next 

 year's onslaught. 



Sowing in Permanent Beds, with a Discussion 

 on Over-Crowding 



There is yet another plan for starting asparagus 

 culture which nearly every writer mentions, though 

 few advocate. This is the process of sowing the seed 

 where the plants are to remain. Good results might 



