1902 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
87 
EVERYBODY’S GAR DEM. 
Asparagus.— I wish to plant one-fourth 
acre of asparagus in the Spring. How shall 
1 prepare the ground for planting? How 
many roots will it require? Where is it 
best to buy, and what will the roots cost? 
Oswego Co., N. Y. , a. e. p. 
The ideal conditions would be a deep 
sandy loain with easterly, southeasterly 
or southwestern slope, as warm as pos¬ 
sible and sheltered from prevailing cold 
winds. With these conditions in mind, 
choose your best possible location, but 
do not plant on heavy, cold or retentive 
soil; also avoid planting where the 
ground will be shaded by trees or shrub¬ 
bery. As the early crop commands by 
far the highest prices, a warm sunny lo¬ 
cation means very much. In laying out 
your ground, plan to run the rows 
north and south, or as nearly so as pos¬ 
sible. Do not, if possible to avoid it, let 
the rows run east and west. The reason 
lor this is that ridging the rows as is 
necessary in growing bleached aspara¬ 
gus, causes too much shade, and wheth¬ 
er green or bleached it requires all the 
sun it can get. The soil should be as 
free from weeds as possible, and must 
also be cleared from stone, roots or rub¬ 
bish of any kind that will hinder a free 
growth of the roots. It should also be 
made rich, although a lack ol fertility 
may be compensated for later on, while 
the roots are coming into bearing. It 
will pay to expend much labor in the 
preparation of the soil, as when thor¬ 
oughly done, the bed should last for 20 
years, so the most careful preparation 
at the beginning will be very great 
economy in the years to come. Exten¬ 
sive growers vary widely in opinions 
as to the proper depth for planting, but 
a conservative depth will be from eight 
to 10 inches. The trenches are made 
with the plow by driving back and forth 
in the furrow, and clearing out to the 
desired depth with a shovel. Much 
pains in setting out is a safeguard 
against loss oi plants, and will be amply 
rewarded by vigorous growth of the 
plants. Avoid exposure of the roots to 
sun and wind, and they should be set in 
fresh soil, so the trenching ought not 
to go much ahead of the planting out. 
Spread out the roots in bottom of fur¬ 
row and cover with three inches of soil 
well pressed down. This leaves them 
in a trench or furrow which must be 
filled in as the shoots begin to grow, un¬ 
til level full. Cultivation must be thor¬ 
ough and continued to keep down weeds 
and conserve moisture. 
Regarding the distances for planting 
there are many opinions. I think, how¬ 
ever, a conservative distance will be 
the safest guide to follow, which would 
be four feet between rows and three 
feet in the row. At first this may seem 
a waste of land, and doubtless would be 
for temporary planting, but when it is 
remembered that the life of a bed ought 
to be from 15 to 20 years, and that the 
roots will reach the size of great um¬ 
brellas in that time it will be seen that 
close planting is objectionable. The 
above distances will be safe, and give 
better results in after years than setting 
too closely in the rows. These distances 
will require a little more than 900 roots 
for a quarter of an acre. The even 1,000 
roots, however, would not crowd the 
ground, and would probably cost no 
more than the 900. Divide 43,560, the 
number of square feet in an acre, by the 
number of square feet occupied by each 
plant, and the result will be the required 
number of plants set at any distance. 
The Palmetto variety will be safest to 
plant, as it is less liable to attacks of 
the rust. Use only one-year-old roots, 
and make sure that they are not older; 
they should cost not to exceed ?4 per 
1,000 laid down at buyer’s express office. 
Buy of any reliable dealer, but get them 
as near home as possible. 
I have one acre of old pasture and or¬ 
chard ground, plowed last year for the first 
time in 30 years. I wish to set this In 
strawberries provided I can do so without 
going in debt. Can I grow a crop of June 
Eating potatoes and get them off in time to 
set the plants? 
The potatoes should be off in ample 
time to set the plants in August. I 
would, however, plow under a good 
dressing of coarse manure before plant¬ 
ing the potatoes, and if possible plow 
under more manure before setting the 
plants. The ground ought to grow a fine 
crop of berries, and doubtless will with 
good varieties and proper cultural condi¬ 
tions. But the inquirer states that he 
will be entirely dependent upon hired 
help, and very poor probably at that. 
Now, a half acre under intensive culti¬ 
vation will bring better returns than the 
whole acre indifferently cared for. Hired 
help in general will take very little in¬ 
terest in a business except to draw their 
pay. An acre of strawberries will mean 
a vast amount of labor from planting 
out until marketed. Will it not be more 
safe in this case to set out half the 
ground next August, leaving the other 
half with a crop of rye, oats or Crimson 
clover to follow the potatoes, and be set 
to berries the following Spring? I be¬ 
lieve this would be the better policy; 
however, thes thoughts are not manda¬ 
tory but merely suggestive. 
Rhubarb. —S. M., South Chicago, Ill., 
more fully stating his difficulties, says 
that he forces the seedling roots and 
also divided roots cultivated two years 
before forcing, and has better success 
with the latter, but does not meet with 
any success with forced roots trans¬ 
planted. He has formerly forced under 
benches in the greenhouse, but had diffi¬ 
culty in shutting out the light. He now 
has a house 36x80 feet built on purpose 
for the work. He plows out the roots 
before freezing and hauls them near to 
forcing house, placing a thin layer of 
manure under them so that the clumps 
can be broken up after they are frozen. 
He would like to hear of some one who 
had tried dividing the forced roots and 
planting them out again. 
Propagating is by far the better way, 
that is, to divide up old roots and plant 
the eye pieces. Myatt’s Victoria will 
generally come true to name, but it is 
the only kind that can be depended up¬ 
on, so it is better to depend upon divid¬ 
ing the roots, and only grow from seed 
to assist in getting a plentiful root sup¬ 
ply. The failure to grow from the forced 
roots is due first to too high tempera¬ 
ture, which neither gives a good quality 
of rhubarb nor leaves any vitality in the 
roots. In the second place he forces 
them too long; when the stalks begin to 
grow slim and spindling turn the heat 
off and remove them outside, or else 
open up doors and windows. They will 
grow themselves to death if the oppor¬ 
tunity is given them. I have placed bar¬ 
rels over roots outdoors and grown 
them until there was not a trace of life 
left. All that is needed is to keep pick¬ 
ing the stalks, and they will give them 
up as long as there is any life left. So 
in the new cellar, run the temperature 
low, say not over 65 or 70 degrees or 
even less, and when they begin to fail 
turn off the heat and stop picking, and 
be sure to get them cold enough entirely 
to stop the growth. It is better even to 
let the roots freeze again. 
The greenhouse is nearly always too 
hot, and there is usually much difficulty 
in shutting out the light. The prac¬ 
tical growers do not use the greenhouses 
at all, but do all the work in the dark 
cellars. Hauling the roots and setting 
them on manure is all lost labor, and 
entirely unnecessary, and breaking up 
the clumps is entirely wrong. They 
should be left whole and forced just as 
they grew in the field. In this way they 
do not need to be planted in, but just 
set in, and further, it is a positive in¬ 
jury to break them up, and should not 
be practiced. Leave them in the ground 
just as late as possible, but when they 
are plowed out turn them out of the 
loose soil and let them freeze; then 
trim up the clumps and leave them un¬ 
til you are ready to place them in the 
cellar or forcing house, and you will 
save very much time and handling. In 
the dark-forcing localities there is any 
quantity of growers who divide up the 
forced roots, and grow them over again. 
In fact, this is their main dependence 
for keeping up the root supply. 
On Time. —In order that the garden 
work may be just as helpful as possible, 
important to keep the work several 
weeks in advance of the season, so that 
we shall not be talking about growing 
early radishes, peas and beans late in 
the Fall. To assist in this matter and 
add to the general interest, questions 
upon garden subjects (which will al¬ 
ways be gladly received), should be sent 
considerably in advance of their actual 
season. A question sent in by one sub¬ 
scriber may be the very one that is puz¬ 
zling dozens of others, and if sent in in 
season for all localities may assist many. 
Michigan. J. e. mouse. 
Amber Cane Seed 
POSITIVELY THE BEST FORAGE PLANT. 
Gives a sweet nutritious forage. Grows and thrives 
in soil so dry that corn would curl up. Can be used 
for pasture, green fodder, silage or hay. Stock eat it 
as a bov eats a stick of candy. During the great 
drought tields of Amber Cane stood green and thrifty 
while around them corn and meadow grasses were 
dead. May be cut twice during the season—broadcast 
or drilled as desired. A small Held of Amber Cane 
may be pastured down by sheep or hogs, then if the 
stock is kept out for two weeks it will grow again 
and furnish more pasture. No other plant can take 
its place for growing sweet fodder and flue pasture. 
Per 100 lbs., $6; 10 lbs., 75c. 
POTATOES. SEED CORN, ONION SETS, ETC. 
Write for Free Catalogue. 
VAUGHAN’S SEED STORE, 
14 Barclay St., N. Y. Box 688, Chicago. 
Asparagus Roots.—O ne and two years 
old. Choice Stock from French Seed. 
MATHIS & CARTER, Blaokvllle, 8. C. 
Argenteuil Asparagus Roots for sale— 
Grown from Imported Seed, $4 per 1,000 for less than 
5,000, $3.60 for 5,000 or over packed f. o. b. 
E. BEEKMAN, Middletown, N. J. 
THE EA VO RITES 
In all market* are the YORK 
IMPERIAL and BEN DAVIS 
apples. Large ylelders and good 
keepers. We have a large stock of 
line trees. Thirty-live other varie¬ 
ties: Peaches, pears, etc. Send 
for catalogue. HARRISON’S 
NURSERIES, Box 29, Berlin, Md. 
SUCCEED WHERE 
Largest Nursery. OTHERS FAIL. 
We have been the originali 
introducers of more varieties” 
of squash than all our brother seed men 
combined. Here's a purtlalllst: 
Hubbard, Marblehead, Victor,Warren] 
Hut man, Chestnut anti Holden llron v.e. 
Our annual catalogue of Vegetable and 
Flower seed sent Free. 
If you want the purest 
t grass seed sold in the 
t'o J'vOli u - s - tr y oura - 
J.J.H. GREGORY 
^ & son, 
“ * Marblehead, 
Mass. 
n| Alirn Medium Red and Mam- 
ULUVEIt OEEU moth. New crop, recleaned, 
You get It for less than it costs your home dealer. 
I am anxious to show you sample and quote you 
price. J. M. FLUKE, Nankin, Ohio. 
PLANTS. C. C. NASH, 
Kaspoerry Three Rivers. Mich. 
Strawberry Plants, 110 varieties, in 1,12, 100 lots. 
R ASPBERRY PLANTS $5 per 1,000; Eggs $1 per 15; 
Buff Wyandotte, R. C. Brown Leghorn, 8. C. 
White Leghorn Cockorels, $1. Circular free. 
A. B. KATKAM1BK, Macedon, N. Y. 
P otatoes—Bovee, Carman, Cobbler, Harvest, 6Weeks 
Ohio,Rose,Queen. 86 kinds. C.W.Ford,Fishers,N.Y. 
leigh. Pure, choice seed. L. N. Nelson, Laney.Wls 
POTATOES 
—Selected Seed. Price-List Free. 
R. M. MARVIN, Sun, Mich. 
s 
ECOND Crop Seed Potatoes—Best seed grown. 
Mature earlier, yield more and Hner potatoes than 
any other seed. Choice early varieties. Catalog 
free. Alf. A. Whittington, Marion Sta. Md. 
llinDnilCp—Second-crop Seed Potatoes come 
llnr IlUVEII earlier, grow larger crops than 
any other seed. Best Seed Potato Catalogue pub¬ 
lished. It Is free. J. W. HALL. Marion Station, Md. 
MARKET PRIZE™?*?! 
ford'SEEd'cOm'D ept: Q, U R a venna,OhlO. 
Fruit Book Free. Result of 78 years’ experience, 
STARK BROS.. Louiiiana, Ko. ; Dansvill*, H.Y 
20th Century Novelties in 
PLANTS anpJSEEDS 
We’ve some of the liest. anil most striking 
novelties ever sent out. Don’t fail to semi for 
our illustrated catalog. It’s yours for a postal. 
LOUIS P. BUTLER & CO., Keene, N. H. 
SOTO Jp’S M|| 
80c u up. £jB WW a mu IV OR 
Michigan North* lOr 
ern Grown is the 
earliest and produces largest crops. Hammond** Sixty l)tiy 
Flint, American Pride, Race Ilorne Dent and Thoroughbred 
While Dent are the 4 famous varieties today. American Pride 
made 197 bu. shelled corn per acre. Fifteen other sorts. 100 
Page Catalog fully describing’ these wonderful corns sent on 
request. HARRY N. HAMMOND SEED COMPANY, Ltd. 
Box Bay City, Mich. 
POTATOES 
Garden and 
Flower Seeds. 
Early and Reliable. Send 
for Catalogue. 
TheGeo.W.P.JerrardCo. 
CARIBOU. MB. 
POTATOES, 
cony, 
_ EIELD SEED. 
%H~ Get mv prices before buying elsewhere. Cata¬ 
logue free WRITE TO-DAY. . 
SIEGE J., The Seedsman, Erie, Pa. 
EVERGREENS 
Hardy sort®, ISurnery grown, for wind¬ 
breaks, ornament ami hedges. Prepaid.fi 
to $10 per 100-50 (treat Bargains to select 
from. Writ© at one© for freo Catalogue 
and Bargain Shoot. Local Agent* wanted. 
Dun deb, III. 
□ Mill 1 
. mil, Specialist, 
SEED CORN 
Eighteen Years Experience in the Seed Corn 
Business as a SPECIALTY, convinces us 
that Farmers prefer to buy their Seed 
_ _ _ Direct from the Grower! then he knows 
where it is grown ; also that it Is not Commission House, or Elevator Corn ; besides he saves the 
Middle Man's profits. We are the largest Seed Corn growers in the world, and have sent out more 
Seed Corn in the past few years than any other Growers, Seed House or Seed Firm in the world. We 
are headquarters for Seed Oats as well. Write us for our Free Catalog of Seed Corn, Farm and 
Garden Seeds Always address J. K. RATEKIN & SON, Sltenauiloali, Iowa. 
M WhnlaCQln Prinac We raise Vegetable Seeds, Seed 
TSIlulCoalC rilUCo. Potatoes, Farm Seeds, etc., on 
onr own Farms, and sell them direct to the planter at Whole¬ 
sale Prices. Catalogue free. Please write for it to-day. Don’t 
delay. JOS. HARRIS CO., Moreton Farm, Coldwater, M. Y, 
TRADE MARK. 
Isbell’s Seeds 
are as good as the best 
and better than the rest. 
You will find it so upon trial. Our seeds are all grown from 
selected stock, on highly fertilized land, are thoroughly cleaned, 
graded and tested before they are sent out. These things make the planting of 
our seeds an assured success. Write to-day for our Large Illustrated Cata¬ 
logue of Farm, Garden and Flower Seeds. Don’t buy until you get it. 
S. Rl. Isbell & Co., 125 W. Pearl St., Jackson, Mich. 
URPEE’S 
Largest Mail-Order Seed House 
in the World. In buying 
BURPEE’S SEEDS direct by 
mail you get your money’s worth in the Best Seeds that Grow —and you 
have your choice of Rare Novelties for 1902 , which cannot be had else¬ 
where. Write to-day (a postal card will do) for our complete Catalogue—; 
FREE to all who intend to purchase seeds. W. ATLEE BURPEE & CO., Philadelphia. 
Surpasses Timothy in nutrition. Yields four to five tons per acre. One 
sowing lasts 12 years. Grows well in light soil or wet, swampy land. 
Drouth will i° T t OUTYIELDS ALFALFA.’ kill it. Animals 
enjoy it green or dry. Gives as much food in one month as Alfalfa does 
in three. Greatest boon ever offered, as it thrives in any climate, under 
any conditions, and makes productive what would otherwise be waste 
land. Price: i lb. 30c, 3 lbs. 85c, prepaid. By express or freight, purchaser’s 
expense, 18 lbs. (enough for 1 acre) $3.25; 100 lbs. $16.00. 
iknCCI Catalogue describing tills grass, new varieties of Vegetable, Flower and 
rvt-Li. Field Seeds, Plants.Fruits, Trees and Shrubbery. WRITE FOR IT. 
L. L. MAY & CO., Seed Growers. St. Paul, Minn. 
and useful to all localities it is highly 
