1864] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
ties, and. their united industry would bring a 
degree of thrift heretofore unknown in that 
region. Thus the cotton plant which has here¬ 
tofore been associated with oppression of the 
laborer and defiance of justice and law, may 
ultimately be twined with the olive branch to 
symbolize lasting peace and industry. 
The Field Culture of Asparagus. 
The following extracts from a prize essay, by 
Daniel K. Young, Esq., of Queens Co., 1ST. Y., 
will show the way in which this important crop 
is planted by those who grow it on a large scale 
for market. Mr. Young considers that a deep 
fine sandy soil is to be preferred to all others. 
seed bed. — Starting with the proposition 
that only roots of one year’s growth should 
ever be transplanted, as older ones are liable to 
get mutilated in digging, and are every way 
less convenient without any corresponding ad¬ 
vantage, it becomes important to obtain the 
largest possible growth the first season. For 
this, a clean, sandy soil is almost indispensable, 
made rich with fine manure, well worked in. 
Rake smooth and fine, and plant in drills, 
fourteen inches apart, two inches between seeds. 
To insure an even stand, it is better to drop 
the seed by hand, as it is difficult to regulate 
even the best seed drill to drop one seed at a 
time at regular intervals; cover an inch deep and 
finish with a light garden roller. As the seed 
is slow to sprout, early planting is advised, to 
get a start of the weeds; even in a cold wet 
spring there is little danger of the seed rotting, 
and it may be safely planted as soon as ground 
can be put in good order. As soon as the rows 
can be seen, work out and keep clean, for there 
are few crops that will suffer more from care¬ 
less culture. The following spring turn them 
out with a plow that will cut about a fourteen- 
inch furrow, taking one row at a time. Fork 
over the furrow, throwing the loosened roots to 
the surface. This should be done before the 
sprouts are started, and if not convenient to 
plant immediately, they may be kept for a few 
days in any cool cellar without material injury. 
PREPARATION OP GROUND AND TRANSPLANTING. 
In preparing the beds, let the soil be' well 
worked, and manure covered as deep as pos¬ 
sible within reasonable limits. This may all 
be done with proper plows, and at much less 
expense than by trenching with, the spade.— 
Spread the manure evenly over the surface, three 
inches thick; then with an ordinary two-horse 
plow strike a furrow, say six inches deep, fol¬ 
low this in the same furrow with a large one 
that will penetrate at least eight inches deeper 
and turn the dirt well out, leaving the furrow 
clear; after this a light one-horse plow, careful¬ 
ly handled to just turn the manure, with an inch 
or two of the top soil, into the bottom of the 
deep furrow; this last is prefei'able to hauling 
in the manure with rakes, as it expedites the 
work, and leaves a clear cut for the next furrow. 
Continue in this way till the whole field is done; 
then harrow smooth and mark with a corn 
marker for rows four feet apart. 
Commence on the center mark with the large 
plow, and trench ten inches deep, driving twice 
in the same furrow; shovel out the loose dirt to 
a square smooth bottom; make three trenches 
this way, and throw in manure two inches 
thick. Trench three more on each side of 
these, and then manure as before till all are 
trenched.—By manuring as fast as three rows 
are trenched, the inconvenience of driving in 
the furrows will be avoided. 
Before setting the roots, cover the manure in 
the trenches to within five inches of the natural 
level of the ground; here care must be taken not 
to fill in too much, as the depth in the rough 
state of the ground is very deceptive, and except 
to a practised eye, appears much greater than 
it really is. Mark places in the trenches at inter¬ 
vals of 20 inches, drop a root at each mark; 
let an experienced man follow to arrange the 
roots, and cover sufficiently to hold in place. 
After all are planted, cut down the sides of the 
trench to fill in, so that the roots have an even 
covering of not more than two inches. When 
the plants are a few inches high, fill in slightly 
around them, sufficient to cover any weeds that 
have started, and continue this at intervals of 
two or three weeks till the ground'is level; then, 
as occasion requires, use a cultivator or plow, 
and hoe to keep clean. As soon as the tops are 
killed by frost, mow off and burn; with a small 
plow turn a furrow each way from over the 
row, hoe out the narrow centre that is left 
between the two furrows, leaving a clear, shal¬ 
low, middle furrow directly over the crowns, 
put manure in these, turn a furrow from each 
side over it and leave for the winter. When 
the ground becomes settled in the spring use a 
light harrow lengthwise of the rows to flatten 
the ridges, and just before the shoots appear 
pass a iight harrow over them to smooth the sur¬ 
face, leavipg the ridge about two inches above 
a level, and fully six inches above the crowns. 
Emigration Societies Wanted. 
Public attention is being awakened to the im¬ 
mense importance of the tide of emigration 
setting hitherward from across the Atlantic. 
Thus far the movement has been in a measure 
spontaneous, or without general systematic at¬ 
tempt to increase or direct it. The sons, broth¬ 
ers, and daughters, on this side, have sent over 
to their relatives and aquaintances in Europe 
accounts of the encouragements offered to work¬ 
men in every department of labor. Their let¬ 
ters, though less polished than the statements 
published by the newspapers, have been more 
telling, because more reliable and more certain 
to reach the right class. Statesmen in England 
who have wrongfully accused this government 
of recruiting its armies in Ireland, appear to 
have forgotten that echoes from America are 
heard weekly in almost every transatlantic 
workshop and cabin. The doleful diatribes of 
the London Times and its congeners are little 
heeded by those who, week by week, receive let¬ 
ters filled with glowing accounts of prosperity, 
and invitations to come and share it. It needs 
no argument to prove the desirableness of en¬ 
couraging emigration, both for the welfare of 
the incoming strangers, and for the benefit of 
the nation. The unprecedented development 
of the Western wilderness into powerful States, 
and the vast system of public works which have 
compacted and vitalized the nation, are con¬ 
vincing evidence on this point. 
The formation of the Society for promoting 
emigration, noticed in the February Agriculturist , 
was most opportune, but there is scope enough 
for such an institution in each State, and some 
are already moving in the matter. At a recent 
meeting of the Executive Board of the Illinois 
State Agricultural Society, it was unanimously 
resolved to recommend to the Germans and 
other foreigners of that State to form an In¬ 
dustrial Association, for the purpose of collect¬ 
ing statistical and other facts bearing upon the 
subject, and presenting them to their friends in 
Europe. A united movement of this kind in 
every State, under the direction of resident 
immigrants, would command greater confi¬ 
dence on the part of foreigners, than could 
be induced by statements from almost any other 
source. Within the next four months every 
town in those parts of Europe from which emi¬ 
gration might be expected, should be supplied 
with reliable information on the soil, climate, 
productions, demand for labor, market facilities, 
and similar topics; and every one intending to 
emigrate should be minutely instructed, just 
how, and at what cost he may reach any desired 
location. This is all the more desirable and 
necessary, because of the cruel and shameless 
7r> 
impositions to which newly arriving parties are 
frequently subject. We commend the matter 
to the attention of State and County Agricul¬ 
tural societies, and to the large number of our 
German and other readers of foreign birth. 
We may perhaps give some items on this sub¬ 
ject, in the outside sheet, printed at a later date. 
Sowing Spring Wheat. 
The nature of the wheat plant is to make 
roots and tiller in cool weather, before sending 
up its stem. Sown early it has a chance to do 
this before the warm weather of May draws it 
up to a head. On this account less grain is 
needed to sow an acre of winter than of spring 
wheat. Any early, moderately rich, loamy soil 
is good for wheat, but it ought to be dry or 
drained thoroughly. Spring wheat is better 
adapted than winter wheat to heavy but well 
tilled clays, on which wheat winter-kills by be¬ 
ing thrown out by the frost. It is always best 
to plow in the fall; where this has been done, 
a light dressing of fine manure may be harrow¬ 
ed in almost as soon as the frost is out and the 
wheat sown. In case it is necessary to plow 
in spring, turn under strawy manure or a 
muck compost to give lightness and porosity 
to the soil, if it is a heavy one. And unless the 
soil is in excellent tilth, do not put the manure 
very deep. If the wheat is sown late, more 
seed is needed. Sow at least 2 bushels, at most 
2%. The best way to prepare the seed is to 
pour it into a strong brine in which one or two 
ounces of powdered blue vitriol to the bushel of 
grain is dissolved. The brine floats off the 
imperfect grains, chess, oats, and foul seeds, 
while the blue vitriol destroys the spores of the 
smut or rust plant. After the brine has drained, 
it may lie in a heap several days before sowing, 
at which time it should be rolled in slacked 
lime (dry) or gypsum to dry it. If possible, drill 
in the crop—it saves half a bushel of seed to the 
acre, and adds several bushels to the harvest. 
Starting Early Potatoes. 
A crop of potatoes ready for the table early 
in June, may be secured without great trouble. 
If seed potatoes are brought into a warm room 
about the first of March, the eyes will start rap¬ 
idly, the nourishment in the tubers will sustain 
them for two or three weeks, by which time 
they may usually be planted out in some favor¬ 
able spot. Of course, care must be taken in 
planting out not to break the sprouts. Or the 
tubers may be planted in a hot-bed of moder¬ 
ate temperature, about the middle of the 
month. Cut them in halves, lay them flat side 
down, as thick as they can be placed, and cover 
with about two inches of earth. They may be 
transplanted when two or three inches high. 
They should be removed carefully, separating 
the roots with as little injury as possible. They 
will not be likely to yield a full crop under this 
treatment, and may therefore be planted more 
closely, say in drills thirty inches apart, and 
twelve inches apart in the drills. Another meth¬ 
od is to put pieces of potato in small squares 
of turf, set them close together in a warm place 
where they can be watered readily. On cold, 
nights protect them with straw. When large 
enough they can be set out, turf and all, with¬ 
out disturbing the roots. This might not pay 
on a large scale, but enough ma.y thus be 
brought forward for a family supply, until +he 
main crop is mature enough to draw upon. 
