436 The Principles of Vegetable- Gardening 



gradually filled. If tlie trench is filled at first, the 

 young plants may not have strength enough to push 

 through the earth. In a commercial plantation, this 

 filling may be done by the subsequent tillage. Some- 

 times the furrows are partially filled by running a light 

 harrow over the ground. The plants are usually set in 

 spring, and by the succeeding fall the furrows should 

 have been filled. The plants should be set about 3 feet 

 apart in the row. They should be one-year-old seed- 

 lings. Two or three -year -old plants usually give less 

 satisfactory results. 



Since the crowns of asparagus are so far beneath the 

 surface, it is possible to till the whole area with shallow- 

 working tools late in fall or early in spring. It is essen- 

 tial that this general tillage be given in order to keep the 

 plantation free of weeds and to maintain the physical 

 texture of the soil. During the growing season, little 

 tillage can be given. When the crop is being harvested, 

 it is not practicable to till to any extent ; and later in 

 the season when the tops are allowed to grow, the whole 

 surface is occupied. 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 dress- 

 ing of more quickly available fertilizer early in the 

 spring. It is very important that the plantation be 

 given the best of surface tillage for the first one or two 

 5''ears in order to get it into ideal condition. When the 

 bed finally comes into full bearing, the asparagus appro- 

 priates so much of the plant-food and moisture that 

 there is less danger from pernicious weeds. 



