The Vermont transcript. [volume] (St. Albans, Vt.) 1864-1870, 1864-04-08
farmers department.
CULTURE OF ASPARAGUS.

To have a good, lasting and produc
tive bed, the ground should he trench
ed to the depth of two feet. And here
allow me, for the sake Of the less ex-
perienced, to explain the process of
preparing the ground and the method
of cultivating the plant
Commence at one end OF the plat and /
take out trench five feet wide and as
long as the desired length of The bed
the earth from the first trench to be /
removed to a convenient place to fill |
up the last Take out all poor sub /
soil, and level the bottom Of the trench I
as level, or nearly so, as you wish to
make the surface of the bed. The
trench being leveled on the bottom,
put in a layer of balnyard manure all
over it. Mark off the next trench the
same width as the first, and cast the
earth into the open trench, mixing a
liberal supply of manure, taking care
at the same time to mix the surface
earth with the sub-soil Stir up occa-
sionally with fork, and in that manner
continue trench after trench until the
bed is of the desired size. Then level
off the whole to a uniform grade
Have a quantity of well-rotted manure
20 spread over the surface to be forked
under when planting.
The manner Of planting Is to stretch
line along one end OF the bed and
with garden spade strike straight
down on the side toward the cultivated
ground, and open up frnrow deep
enough to have the roots planted
straight down against the side of the
furrow without bending the lower end
of the roots. and have the crowns of
the plant one and half inches beneath
the surface. Lay enough Garth round
the roots to keep them in their places;
then with a fork or spade level around
the plants, and fork up the ground I'M
til YOU have gone far enough to admit
another row. The rows should be
eighteen inches apart, and the plants
one foot apart in the rows. In market
gardens and extensive plantations
where a great deal of labor is done
with the pillow, the plants are generally
much thinner, for many reasons. The
ground is seldom SO well trenched or
so well manmed, and consequently the
plants require more room to form good
heads.
The first year after planting, cut
none of the young heads until Autumn,
when the straw has become yellow, and
the sap has descended. Then NOW It
down, and when dry, burn it on the
bed. After burning the straw, take a
fork and stir up the surface, and pick
out all the white clover or other weeds
that YOU oan find. Before much cold
weather comes, put on top dressing
of stable manure, the coarse part OF
which should be raked off early in the
Spring, and the fine forked under
place the fork carefully IN a very slant
ing manner, Just going deep enough tc
raise earth sufficient to cover the ma
nure but not so deep as to wound Tho
crown of the plant
About four weeks of moderately
warm weather viii start the plants t,
grow, and when the sprouts have grow
to be about five inches high, the.
should be gathered; and remembe
that they should be taken whether the
are wanted for use or not, until yol
have concluded not to cut any mor'
for the season. When the nights ar
warm, the crop should be cut ever.
morning, The manner of cutting as
paragus is to have knife with bill
shaped point and blunt back; thei
take hold of the stalk of the plant an,
slip the back of the knife by the side O
the stalk, half an inch underline ground
taking care not to wound the tende
buds that have not yet appeared abov
the surface, and making STARTING GU
upwards and towards yourself.
A top-dressing of salt will be foun
of great benefit to the crop, occasion
ally Half peck of rock salt to til
rod will not be too much Keep clea
of weeds, and top-dress once a yea
Cultivate as directed, and / will guar
antee an asparagus bed that will last
lifetime. r. Working Farmer.