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Spring*s Earliest and Most Delicious 
Contribution to the T^amily 7^able» 
J% SPARAGUS is relished by most people, and coming in the early part of the vegetable 
jt^\ season is highly prized, after a winter's absence from fresh vegetables. It is very 
^ healthful, and no family should be without its own bed of asparagus. A little care 
and labor on such a bed will be well repaid. 
There appears to be an idea that it is difJicult to grow. This is a mistake, for there is no 
vegetable that can be produced so easily and cheaply. 
A Family Bed of asparagus of about 100 plants will give an abundant supply for ac 
ordinary family. If it is desired to cultivate asparagus for the market, larger beds can be 
formed, requiring, of course, a proportionately larger number of plants. 
We would state that asparagus is a very profitable vegetable to grow as the crop is always 
salable at fair prices, and probably the reason the market has never been glutted is due to 
the fact that asparagus culture has been regarded by most people as extremely difficult and 
hazardous. That there is money in asparagus growing is an absolute certainty. That so few 
farmers are growing so little of this superb early vegetable is to be regretted. In some 
instances it has paid $250 to $400 per acre, clear. 
HOW TO PLANT. 
FOR MARKET — To prepare a bed, dig the soil deep and incorporate in it a heavy coat 
of rotten manure or well decomposed compost. Plant the roots in rows three to four feet 
apart, and two feet in the rows, spreading out the roots, with crowns about four inches below 
the surface, adding gradually during the season to six or eight inches. Cover the bed in the 
autumn with manure and fork it in in the spring. 
FOR HOME GARDEN — Set plants one foot apart in rows 18 inches wide, for hand hoeing 
with other treatment same as for market. 
CULTIVATION AND CUTTING. 
After the plants are well started, give frequent and thorough cultivation and draw a 
little earth into the furrows at each hoeing until they are filled. Early the next spring spade 
in a heavy dressing of manure, and one quart of salt to each square rod and cultivate well 
until the plants begin to die down. The next season the bed may be cut over two oi three 
times, but if this is done all the short shoots-, no matter how small, should be cut, and after the 
final cutting give a good dressing of manure, ashes, and salt. The next season, and ever after 
that, the bed should give a full crop and be annually dressed with manure, ashes and salt, after 
the last cutting, and well but not deeply cultivated, until the plants occupy the whole space. 
In the autumn as soon as the tops are ripe and yellow, they should be cut and burned. 
VARIETIES. 
The question is often asked if there is any difference between varieties, what sorts to 
plant, and whether manure is not the secret of it all. There is a difference, and while we 
can supply a number of varieties, we believe the following is the best all-around asparagus 
now on the market. 
CONOVBR'S COIvOSSAL— A variety universally acknowledged to be an 
improvement on the older sorts on account of its immense size, and being remarkably tender 
and high flavored. It is claimed that it can be cut one year sooner than other varieties. It 
is probably the most profitable market sort, as it produces the largest spears and brings 
nearly double the price of other kinds. 
INSECTS — Young beds are sometimes attacked by black beetles, and if the grower doe« 
not have chickens running loose, a light dusting of air-slaked lime will end the beetle 
trouble. Poultry will be glad to do a good turn in the asparagus bed for the harm they do 
in other places. 
