ASPARAGUS. 



117 



more sprouts than those that do. Such plants may be increased 

 by divisions. 



Planting. — While asparagus should always be moved in 

 the spring, it is not necessary to move it very early, though 

 it is better to do so; but it may be successfully transplanted as 

 late as the first of June. Any long sprouts that may have 

 started should be broken off when the plants are set out. 

 The land for planting should be heavily manured, deeply 

 plowed and finely pulverized, and it is important to do this 

 work well, as asparagus beds well made should last at least 

 twenty years. The opinions of different growers as to dis- 

 tance between plants vary much. It has been advocated to 

 set the plants four feet apart each way and if the soil is re- 

 markably fertile this distance will not be too great; if the 

 land is not very rich, it is customary to put the plants at in- 

 tervals of three feet in rows four feet apart. If a bed for a 

 family garden is desired where space is limited, it is probably 

 best to set the plants three by three feet apart. About 100 

 plants will produce all the sprouts needed in an ordinary home 

 garden. 



Depth to Plant. — For ordinary purposes asparagus roots 

 should be planted about six inches deep; the aeeper they are 

 planted the later they will be about starting in the spring; if 

 planted much Icrs than six inches deep, the roots often push up 

 to the surface and interfere with cultivation. The plants should 

 not be covered to the full depth of six inches at once or tfce 

 shoots may never be able to push up to the surface. The fur 

 rows should be made with a plow to the proper depth, the plants 

 placed in the bottom of the furrow and covered about three 

 inches to begin with, and the furrows filled in by after cultiva- 

 tion as the tops grow. By the middle of the summer the fur- 

 rows should be level full. • . 



Cultivation during the first year can be done almost entirely 

 with a horse, though some hand hoeing will be necessary be- 

 tween the plants. By autumn of the first year, the tops should 

 be three feet high. As soon as they are dead they should be 

 cut off close to the ground with a heavy, sharp hoe or similar 

 tool, and then the land should have a light plowing or be worked 



