STOKES SEED FARMS COMPANY MOORESTOWN, NEW JERSEY 



ASPARAGUS 



(Asparagus officinalis) 



HISTORY — A native of Europe, having grown in its wild stale in Great Britain, 

 Russia and Poland. The Britons, Gauls and Germans used it merely as a medicine. 

 Gerard states that it lakes its name after the Latin, in that it signifies the first spring 

 or sprout. The Romans introduced it as an edible food. Cato the Elder, 200 B. C., 

 treated the subject with great care. Pliny distinguished a fine difference in the character 

 of Asparagus grown near Ravenna and certain other outlying points from Rome. Its 

 cultivation and me as a vegetable was made known to the people of the North by the 

 invading Roman armies. It is spoken of as a cultivated English vegetable in the early 

 sixteenth century; and in 1683 we have record of it in the London markets. Many 

 of the best gardeners have contended that soil and cultivation conditions count for the 

 apparent difference in this vegetable and that it is not a question of the distinct varieties 

 so much as it is the parentage of the stock and the conditions under which it is produced. 



No. 1 — Washington Asparagus 



is a strain which has been produced under the direction of the Bureau 

 of Plant Industry of the United States Department of Agriculture. 

 The Bureau began this work at Concord, Massachusetts, in 1906, 

 rust-resistance being one of the principal features desired. From a 

 single plant discovered at Concord in 1910, a commercial strain has 

 been developed. In 1915 this was taken to South Carolina, which 

 district is seriously infected with asparagus rust. The seed which 

 we offer comes directly from the fields which were used as a 

 guard field to protect the government seed plantation. Our 

 supply is being grown commercially for us by a man who thoroughly 

 appreciates the value of pedigreed stocks. 



Washington Asparagus is a rust-resistant, vigorous, high yielding 

 strain of giant Asparagus. The plants represented in its pedigree of 

 the last three generations are the best found in a ten years' search 

 among millions of plants tested. By best, we mean the ones that 

 have produced offspring, uniform, rust-resistant, high yielding, of 

 large size and rapid growth, all of which qualities indicate tenderness. 

 A more uniform type has not been seen among Other so-called varieties 

 that were in any degree rust-resistant. Thorough investigation has 

 been made of Argenteuil, Palmetto and Reading Giant, none of them 

 having been found sufficiently uniform to justify their adoption as 

 the basis for breeding work. 



A bed of asparagus must be considered in the light of a permanent investment. For this reason we feel very sure 

 that our trade will be satisfied with no other than the best obtainable. Most other seedsmen will no doubt hold to the 

 original idea that there is such a thing as variety in asparagus. For ourselves, we are quite convinced that it is 



certainly no more than a difference in the strain and we are further convinced that the 

 culture of asparagus has more to do with it than any other factor. Very often our 

 customers specify white asparagus or green asparagus and to such inquiries we would say 

 that at the present time there are no distinct strains of either. By keeping the light away 

 from the young stalks, any asparagus will be white. As an economy in time, we 

 advise our customers to buy asparagus roots. If, however, seed is used, please be 

 advised that two or more weeks are required for germination. We would call 

 I attention to the fact that we are only listing one-year old roots, this on the 

 Hfc . advice of experts from the United States Department of Agriculture, who 

 have well grounded proof for their belief. 



Asparagus should be planted at one end or one side of the garden, where 

 it will interfere the least with the plowing and preparation of annual crops. 

 Price of seed, postpaid, pkt. 25c, oz. 50c, y± lb. $1.75, 1 lb. $6.00. Price 

 of roots, postpaid, 1 doz. 50c, 50-$1.50, 100-$2.75. 



Write for Farmers' Bulletin No. 829, U. S. Department of Agriculture, 

 on 'Asparagus." This can be obtained free from the U. S. Department of 

 Agriculture at Washington, D. C. 

 7 



WASHINGTON ASPARAGUS (x 3/5) 



WASHINGTON ASPARAGUS GROWN ON 

 WINDERMOOR FARM 



An asparagus bed is a permanent investment. Only the best strain should be planted 



