West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1885-08-28
EN- BANkM ENTS.
How Their Washing Away May BE Pre-.
vented-The Use OF Asparagus Advised.

How Their Washing Away May BE Pre-
vented-The Use OF Asparagus Advised.
Various devices have been tried to
prevent the washing away of railroad
entertainments, cutting sides and other
unsoddod soil surfaces by freshets and
heavy rain torrents but no complete
preventive has yet been discovered that
am aware of. have seen the various
sorts of willows tried but the roots OF
the willows are too coarse to prevent
small currents passing between them
under the main stem. Brush laid AT
the bottom of gulleys and washouts has
been tried, but il rots in such situations.
though it would last several wears if
constantly submerged OF various sorts
OF grasses tried to prevent exposed sur
faces from washing away, q Canadian
friend tells me that blue grass, with its
numerous interacing roots, is the best
TO prevent washing away that he has
found, after much experimenting i'm
this matter
len or dozen years ago / noticed
that the roots of asparagus penetrated
very deep. throwing out many fine roots
as laterals, corresponding to the nu-
merous, fine, thread-like branches de-
yeioped in It's top growth. The long
roots OF this plant penetrate two TO four
feet deep and ramify to as wide an ex-
tent. Thus, when tho plants are thick,
asparagus supplies interlacing roots in
great abundance, and by seeding thick
this plant can be easily made Co fill the
soil with roots sufficiently so to pre-
vent any small currents from washing
the soil from among them. AS fine,
deep-growing roots in abundance can
be secured by thick seeding, il appears
that in given quantity Of sOil-as a
cubic yard as many and Us fine roots
rs may be desired are easily obtanablc.
IL Is true blue grass makes an excellent
sod, but IL does not root half as deep as
asparagus, is not so easy TO handle. and
blue grass seed can only be seeded on
the surface and raked in or covered
with a hand-harrow.
Asparagus seed can be dibbled in
very rapidly and covered with o garden
rake. rs follows: Make q small harrow
franc, with the beams one and one-half
inches apart with five or six beams Sc
cured by cross-tics. In these beams
wood teeth, similar TO hay-rake teoth,
thrce-quarters Of on inch thick can be
inserted five or SIX inches apart, with a
suitable handle. This dibblcr can We
used 60 make twenty-five holes one inch
deep every time 70 is set down. In this
way largo surface of bare soil, on the
sides Of railway embnnkmcnt or cut
ting, for instance, can be- rapidly per
mcaicd with shallow holes, ready TO re-
ceive the aspara gus seed. The area TO
bc planted being made ready by the
diDblcr sow the seed by hand. and
enough of il will drop in or be raked
| INTO the shallow holes 10 secure n rood
stand IL should DO carefully covered
| with 0arden-rake and the surface
smoothcd with the back Of large
shovel or large piece Of board with "a
handle ON, or with gardcn-rOlor or
| couro a secd-drill can be used, il ut
hand, thc method suggested being for
cases where no drill is available II
asparagus seed be planted early in
spring 10 viii root deeply by midsum-
mcr 20 as not 90 be injured by drought.
and This plant is so hardy that 10 has
not been INJURED even by Che severity OF
last winter
/ OF course any slopes on steep sur
faces. such . The banks Of small
streams, or railway cuttings and en-
| bankmen's. should be- prepared by fill
| ing noIos, small wash outs etc. and
| smoothing over before dibbIing or seed
| ing. aud it appears 10 Che writer shat q
| miniature forest of green plants. com
| pletely iIlIng the soil with roots aud
Keeping 10 moist by shading, would give
Y beautiful vernal aspect during much
OF the summer, while permanently pre-
venting the damage ~ 0D0 Cor Conn.
Z try GcHi Cm0F