116 



VEGETABLE GARDENING. 



will be large enough for transplanting to the permanent 

 plantation when one year old, and it is the best plan to do so, 

 but they may be allowed to stand two years in the seed bed. 

 The young seedling plants which often come up in or neai 

 asparagus beds may be transplanted in July of the first year 

 directly to the permanent bed and will do very well if handled 

 carefuiiy. At whatever age they are transplanted the plants 

 should be dug and set out in the spring or early summer, as 

 they are likely to fail when removed in the autumn. Aspar- 



Figure 50.— Asparagus root with edible shoots. 



agus may be increased by dividing the crowns, but this is an 

 expensive process, and plants so grown have no peculiar merit 

 over those from seed. By buying the plants instead of sow- 

 ing the seed to start with, one or two years' time may be saved, 

 and frequently it is cheaper to buy the plants than to raise 

 them. It is said that plants that do not bear seed produce 



