Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1869-06-09

by D. P. nnuEN, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY.

III " T. BkNENs VI NENANh, NEW JERSEY.
There is, perhaps, no succulent vegetable
more generally valued for its palatable,
nutritious and healthiul qualities than aspara-
gus, which can be successfully cultivated in
any climate, from the tropics to the cold,
bleak shores of Lake Superior, where it
is found growing wild Asparagus, when
brought under proper cultivation, gives n
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-fye 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
asparagus was cultivated on the same spot of
ground until about 1910, when it became
necessary to have the garden in another loca-
ton The old asparagus roots were removed
and carefully put out again. where they re-
manned until 1852, when the bed was destroyed
for the purpose of erecting 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
forkod in 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 | made an entirely
new garden where | now live, and always
having enjoyed the luxury of asparagus with
out depending upon the market for my supply,
determined to make a bed to suit my own
views of the nature of the plant. My soil is
a sandy loan. | prepared my 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 long
spade blade Believing that asparagus re-
quired the warmth of the sun, air, and sur
face moisture, and having no fear that the
roots would run down beyond my control, |
had my bed trenehed Tor marked out) four
inches deep and twelve inches apart The
roots were two years old and were taken
from garden adjoining my own. They
were placed in the trenches twelve inches
apart, as soon as dug from the ground where
they grew. Each branch of the roots was
spread out horizontally, and they were all
covered four inches deep. The asparagus
grew apparently as well as though the roots
had never been removed
The next year | cut from the bed, il sufli-
cient quantity for my own table Every
season, when the weeds commenced growing,
| sowed broadcast one-half bushel of salt,
and the same quantity twice aiterward, as the
weeds began to recover. | always have as.
paragus before any appears in the market
from the gardens in the neighborhood, and
cut it every day from the time | commence
until the season ends. The productiyeness Of
my bed has increased every year, aud all
gardeners and others who have seen il pro.
nounce it the most prolific bed they have ever
seen. The average growth Of the stalks at
the time Of seeding is five to seven feet in
height. never cut my asparagus until il
has grown at least four TO six inches above
the ground, and we never cut it over one inch
below the surface. Some writers advise cut
ting two to six inches below The surface.
But at that depth the bottom of the stems
are always tough. Professor Mapes once
stated that there are twenty ight species of
asparagus Some writer's have attempted to
classify the different qualities With my ex-
perience in raising and largely consuming the
article, ! think | could quite as easy tell a
black herring from white herring, in eating
them, as | could tell the difference ia the
quality or taste Of the light purple-headed
asparagus.