210 
VEGETABLE GARDENING 
mends that as asparagus plants vary more than almost 
any other vegetable, only those plants which have the 
thickest, fleshiest and most numerous stems be chosen 
for potting. “Many that appear large and vigorous will 
have broad, flat, twisted or corrugated stems. Discard 
them. Beware, also, of those that put out leaves close 
to the soil. These will all make tough, stringy, undesir- 
able plants. The best plants are those which are cylin- 
drical, smooth and free from ridges. They shoot up 
rapidly, and attain a height of 2 inches before leaves are 
put out. They look like smooth needles. This matter 
of selecting the best plants for potting and subsequent 
planting out, is of the greatest importance in asparagus 
culture.” 
The principles of selection have been discussed. One- 
year plants are better than two. Several times as 
many seedlings should be grown as will be actually 
needed in order that only the largest and most vigor- 
ous roots may be set in the new plantation. When 
propagated in the field, the selection should be made in 
the fall before the stems break down. The plants may 
be tied together in bundles of 50 and stored under proper 
conditions until spring. Very satisfactory conditions are 
furnished by packing in barrels with slightly moist sand 
or sawdust and burying the barrels late in the fall, first 
covering with straw or leaves and then adding a few 
inches of soil. If proper methods of seed selection have 
been practiced, it should not be difficult to sell the sur- 
plus plants at good prices. . 
The consensus of opinion is that male plants are more 
productive than female. Experiments made at the Ohio 
Stat’on (Ohio Station Bui. 9, Vol. Ill) gave results as 
expressed in the table which follows. 
