Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1876-05-05
TbeYermont 9benit.
BRATTLEBoRo:
FRIDAY EVENING, MAY 8, 1876.


II was formerly considered that an as
psragus bed should be trenched two or
more feet deep, and the soil made very
rich with barn manure. Some Of the STAN
dard authorities recommend spading the
ground and mixing In manure very liber-
ally, even TO the depth OF three feet, but
latterly 1t has been found by practical mar
ket gardeners that such expensive prepara-
tions arc not judicious, for the best aspara-
gus that is brought TO Boston market is
grown upon land that was only in ordna-
ry market garden condition when the
plants were set. The ground should be
ploughed or spaded quite deeply, and
made rich with well rotted barn manure,
but it is not essential TO work the soil more
than ten or twelve inches deep. The seed
may be sown on the bed where tho plants
are to stand, but better way is to sow
thickly in small beds, and then transplant
after the plants are large enough TO handle
conveniently. If the seed is sown early in
April, in good bot-bed, the plants will be
in good condition for transplanting by
midsummer. In the meantime, the per-
manent location should be cultivated once
in every ten days, or as often as weeds
make their appearance, thus rendering the
soil perfectly free from weeds and weed
seeds. This will save the great amount of
hand wedding, which would be required if
the seeds were sown at first in the perma-
nent bed. The seed is usually long time
in terminating in the open ground, and
when so planted the roots may not be too
large 10 remain in the seed bed till fall, or
the following spring. At whatever time
they may be transplanted, let the soil of
the permanent bed be prepared as we have
directed. 1t was once thought best TO set
the plants very deep, as well as to work
the soil very deeply, but as fine bed as
we ever saw, was planted with the crowns
of the plants only two or three inches be-
low the surface. II manure is applied an
nually, the crowns will be deep enough in
a few years.
1t is no more work TO set an acre of as
paragus than to set an acre to cabbages or
strawberry plants. Our own bed is set in
double rows about ten inches apart, and
full three feet between these double rows.
This allows the cultivator to do most of The
tillage, while we get as many plants on the
field as If the rows we're but two feet apart.
Before winter sets in, we cover the bed
with thick coat of horse manure and COW
manure mixed, spread evenly over the
whole ground. This is pretty expensive
operation, but it is much better 10 put a
large quantity of manure on a small piece
of ground than small amount of manure
on large field, for asparagus is not worth
cultivating at all, unless it is so cultivated
that the stalks shall be of good size. Early
in the spring this manure should be light
ly raked over to kill any weeds that may
start, repeating the operation two or three
times, If necessary, before the shoots of as
paragus push through. Amer the rows can
be seen, the cultivator should be run
between them as often as the weeds APP
pear, through the summer, for the weeds
must be kept down thoroughly, as long as
the bed remains devoted to this crop. The
books say cutting may begin on the fourth
year from seed, but if the directions given
above are followed, it may be cut for home
use one or two years earlier. After the
plantation is two or three years old, If the
ground is covered by good coat Of ma
nure every fall, the plants will shade the
ground so heavily that very little hoeing
will be required. 1t is now thought best,
by some growers Of this crop, 10 NOV the
tops off as early in the fall as the seeds are
ripe enough to terminate, and AFTER drying,
burn everything clean, TO prevent the
seeds from coming up the following year,
for asparagus when out of place, is one of
the most difficult weeds 10 contend with
the garden can have.
Salt was formerly considered special
fertilizer for asparagus, authors contend
ing that it is marine plant, but as it
grows freely on the dryest land and far in
land wherever the seeds happen to be drop
ped by birds, and as good crops have been
grown without as with SALT 1t is now be-
lieved that the salt theory is only within.
Asparagus affords, to those who like it,
one of the cheapest luXuries that can he
time when there is nothing else 10 take its
place. A bed containing four or five square
rods, if well planted, and covered with a
liberal dressing of manure every fall, will
afford one or more generous cuttings every
day from the time the ground is fairly
warmed up in spring, until green peas are
ready for the table. Whether asparagus
will pay as market crop, will depend up
on circumstances, as the kind of soil, dis
lance from market, facility for obtaining
manure, and the ability of the grower
N. Z. Fdrmer.