70 
Practical  Hints  on  Vegetable  Farming. 
in  single  rows  (Fig.  1),  and  I think  it  is  a good  one.  An 
Asparagus  ])lant  will  pay  well  for  space  afforded  it,  and  it  is 
difficult  to  understand  why  Asparagus  has  so  long  been  con- 
sidered to  require  over-crowding,  which  means  suffocation  and 
starvation. 
All  growei'S  of  Asparagus  should  remember  that  the  plant 
retains  its  own  special  characteristic  from  infancy  to  old  age. 
If,  as  an  infant,  it  produces  a large  number  of  small  shoots, 
or  a smaller  number  of  stronger  lateral  shoots,  this  habit  of 
growth  will  continue  to  the  end  of  its  existence,  the  strength 
varying  a little  in  each  case  according  to  the  cultivation. 
Cultivators  may,  therefore,  at  will,  produce  rows  of  small, 
medium-sized,  or  large  “ heads  ” by  carefully  selecting  the 
plants  in  their  infancy — say  when  they  are  twelve  months  old 
and  just  producing  their  little  j)lumes.  A grower  who  desires 
to  have  the  largest  Asparagus  will  reject  the  plants  producing 
five  or  six  small  shoots,  and  will  select  and  ])lant  only  those 
which  produce  two  or  three  strong  shoots.  If  there  is  a secret 
in  obtaining  large  Asparagus,  that  is  the  only  one  ; everything 
else  is  j)urely  a matter  of  cultural  routine. 
The  best  policy  is  to  form  a seed  bed  in  Aj)ril  by  sowing 
seed  of  any  favoured  variety.  Sow  the  seed  one  inch  deep  in 
drills  twelve  inches  apart,  and  place  each  seed  two  or  three 
inches  apart  in  the  drill.  This  takes  a little  more  time,  but  the 
time  is  well  spent,  as  will  be  found  the  following  Api’il,  when 
the  seedlings  are  lifted  preparatory  to  being  sorted  and  planted 
in  their  permanent  positions. 
In  twelve  months  after  sowing  the  seed  the  Asparagus 
plants  will  be  in  the  best  condition  for  transplanting.  Every 
additional  year’s  delay  allows  the  interlacing  and  undue  exten- 
sion of  the  roots,  with  ])roportionate  injury  and  destruction 
when  the  plants  are  subsequently  lifted  for  planting  out.  This 
means  a serious  loss  of  time  and  weakened  ])lants. 
Asparagus  is  not  very  particular  as  to  the  mechanical  nature 
of  the  soil,  providing  it  is  not  water-logged.  It  thrives  u])on 
sandy  and  very  porous  soil;  it  grows  vigorously  upon  stiff  soil  ; 
but  if  water  lies  for  an  undue  length  of  time  upon  the  latter  kind 
of  soil,  the  root-action  is  materially  reduced,  many  roots  perish, 
and  the  plants  become  either  very  much  enfeebled  or  they  die. 
Manuring  for  Asparagus  is  very  important  and  is  often 
misunderstood.  Some  persons  think  that  salt  is  the  only 
requisite  manure,  because  Asparagus  officinalis  grows  near  the 
sea.  Soot  dealers  recommend  soot  as  the  best  manure  for 
