18 



ASPARAGLS. 



ing the land and preparing it for setting the young roots. The grower 

 should not lose sight of the fact that the field is to remain in this crop 

 for not less than ten years, and probably for twenty, and that too 

 great care cannot be exercised in plowing and harrowing. 



PLANTING 



Most commercial growers in New Jersey and elsewhere allow not 

 less than five and a half feet of space between rows. The most 

 successful and intensive growers in Pennsylvania are making the 

 rows only four feet apart and setting the plants about two feet apart 

 in the row. This is ample space to grow green asparagus, and the 

 returns per acre at these distances will be greater than when more 

 liberal spacing is provided. The universal practice of the most 

 successful growers is to plant one year roots. It has been clearly 

 demonstrated by experiment stations and hundreds of practical 

 growers that one year roots are more satisfactory than older roots. 

 If two year plants could be lifted from the nursery row and trans- 

 planted to their new home with no interference with the roots, they 

 would produce just as good results. This, however, cannot be done, 

 so that the universal practice is to plant strong, vigorous, one year 

 roots. 



The grower should bear in mind that the buds of the crowns 

 come closer to the surface every year. This is due to the fact that 

 the new buds form slightly higher each year, and it is, therefore, an 

 advantage to plant as deeply as the soil will permit. Under no cir- 

 cumstances, however, is it desirable to set the crowns or roots in the 

 sub-soil, because this will invariably interfere with root development; 

 for the roots grow laterally rather than downward. A safe rule is 

 never to plant deeper than the land is plowed, unless shallower plow- 

 ing is practiced than is expedient considering the character of the 

 land. Under conditions as found in most fields where this crop is 

 grown, it is preferable to plant from six to eight inches deep. Be- 

 cause of the tendency of the crowns to get nearer the surface of the 

 land every year, it is an advantage to plant ten or twelve inches deep, 

 providing the soil will permit planting at this depth. 



CARE OF PLANTATION 



There has been much dispute upon methods of fertilizing aspara- 

 gus, although some points have been well established. There is no 



