Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1869-05-20
From the Rural New Yorker.l
Cultivation OF Asparagus.
By d. P. BRUEN OF NEWARK, n. !.

THERE'S, perhaps, no succulent vegetable |
more generally valued for its palatable nu-
tritous and healthful qualities than aspara-
gus, which can be successfully cultivated in
any climate, from the tropics to the cold,
bleak shores Of Lake Superior, where 1t is
found growing wild. Asparagus, when
brought under proper cultivation, gives
greater return for the labor bestowed than
any other production of the market garden.
Its proper mode of cultivation is less under
stood than any other vegetable product for
table use My first knowledge of asparagus
(when boy), some forty-five years ago Or
more, was an old bed in my fathers garden,
which bed was put out by my grandfather,
before my fathers recollection. There the as.
paragus was cultivated, on the samc.spot OF
ground, until about 1910, when it became
necessary to have the garden in another To-
cation The old asparagus roots were remov-
cd and carefully put out again, where they
remained until 1852, when IKE bed was de-
stroyed for the purpose of erectinga building.
The bed was always well cultivated the old
stalks were cut off in the fall the bed was
literally covered with manure, which was
forked In the spring Until its destruction
the asparagus never decreased in quality or
quantity. These facts of my own knowledge
are satisfactory to my own mind that the
limited production of asparagus is only a
neglect of its proper cultivation.
Some ten years since l made an entirely
new garden where now live, and always
having enjoyed the luxury OF asparagus
without depending upon the market for my
supply, l determined to make bed to suit
my own views of the nature of the plant.
coil Ia I pranaraI m
ground with large quantity of well-rotted
manure, and divided my ground into beds
five feet wide and twenty feet long. The
ground was then dug up one spit deep, the
length Of a long spade blade. Believing
that asparagus required the warmth of the
sun, air, and surface moisture, and having
no fear that the roots would run down be-
yond my control, had my bed trenched (ol
marked ouD four inches deep aud twelve
inches apart. The roots were two year!
old, and were taken from a garden adjoining
my own They were placed in the trenche
twelve inches apart, as soon as dug from TIL
ground where they grew. Each branch o
the roots was spread ont horizontally. AM
they were all covered four inches deep
The asparagus grew apparently as well u
though the roots had never been removed
The next year l cut from the bed, 10 suil
cient quantity for my own table, Ever
season, when the weeds commenced grow
ing, sowed broadcast one.half bashel
salt, and the same quantity twice atterwart
as the weeds began to recover. l Away
have asparagus before any appears in tn
market from the garden in the neighbo
hood, and cut it every day from the time
commence until the season ends. The pr
ductveness of my beds has increased even
year, and all gardeners and others who hay
seen it pronounce ii the most prolific b'
they have ever seen. The average grow
of the stalks at the time Of seeding, is five
seven feet in height. never cut my aspa
agus until it has grown at least four to S
inches above the ground, and we never C
it over one inch below the surface. Sor
writer's advise cutting two to six inches
low the surface. But at that depth the be
tom of the stems is always tough. Profess
Mapes once stated that there are invent
eight species of asparagus. Some write
have attempted to classify the different qui
tiles. With my experience in raising a
largely consuming the article, think
could quite as easily tell black herri
from white herring, in eating them, a:
could tell the difference in the quality
taste of the light purple headed asparagus.