70 



HIGGLE GARDEN BOOK 



the two species are similar, but the beetles are differ- 

 ent. Both species deposit rows of small dark eggs, 

 placed endwise on the plants. The - remedies for 

 both are the same, and consist in regularly cutting 

 low the entire patch of asparagus, thus destroying 

 the beetles' food supply until July; or dusting with 

 flour and buhach; or permitting a portion of the 

 patch to remain uncut and spraying it with some 

 arsenical poison, especially arsenate of lead, which 

 will stick to the plants that are not to be used for 

 food. Stalks covered with eggs may be cut down and 

 burned at any time. Chickens and ducks, if allowed 

 the run of the asparagus patch, will destroy hun- 

 dreds of the pests. The ridged system is a help when 

 beetles are plentiful, for blanched stalks are cut just 

 as they peep through the ground, and so the beetle 

 does not find much available material for eating 

 or egg laying. 



Asparagus rust is a fungous disease which most 

 commonl}^ occurs where the plants are too damp 

 and the air circulation is poor. It is to be prevented 

 by cutting all the plants low and frequently, and 

 spraying with Bordeaux mixture during the season 

 after the cutting stops. Cut and burn the rusty plants 

 in the fall as soon as they ripen or commence to die. 

 The disease is worse some seasons than others. 



Rhubarb. — This, like asparagus, is a hardy per- 

 ennial, and does best in a deep loamy soil made very 

 rich with stable manure and fertilizers. In the small 

 garden the rows may be about three feet apart; for 

 horse cultivation, four feet apart. Space the plants 

 about three feet apart in the rows, and set them deep 

 enough to cover the top ''eyes" about two inches. 

 Except for large plantations I believe that it is best 

 to buy the plants of a seedsman ; set in very early 



