ASPARAGUS. 



119 



which IkS the right condition for most markets. Some people 

 prefer to have white sprouts and in such cases they should be cut 

 four or five inches deep in the ground. In case white sprouts 

 are wanted it is also a good plan to mound up around the hills 

 or to cover them with fine manure to keep the sunlight away 

 from the shoots. The time between the cuttings is largely de- 

 pendent on the weather. In early spring, if the weather is rather 

 cold, the plants may not give more than one cutting per week., 

 but later in the season a good cutting will perhaps be secured 

 once in two days. A severe frost will kill all the shoots above 

 ground but will not injure subsequent cuttings. Asparagus is 



Figure 51. — [Method of bunching asparagus, showing loose sprouts, 

 boxes for tying up in and completed bunches. 



marketed by tying the sprouts in bunches, and the size of the 

 bunches depends much upon the market and, in some places, 

 on the season and whether the supply is plentiful or not. It 

 is very desirable, however, to have all the bunches of one size. 

 It is preferable to tie the sprouts when they are just a little 

 wilted and then set them in water to swell and make the bands 

 tight. Ihc shoots will easily keep for a week if kept cold and 

 moist. It is customary to stand the bunches on end in water in 

 keeping them. 



Manuring. — If manure is applied to the asparagus bed in 

 autumn or before the frost is out of the ground in the spring, 

 it prevents the frost from coming out of the ground and sc 

 keeps back the growth unless the manure applied is very fine 



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