The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1886-12-31
ASPARAGUS CULTURE.
Observation. and Experiments Made BY
Successful Cultivator.

Successful Cultivator.
1t seems to me that the method OF
deep setting this crop is mistake. l
have spent money carting DIRT on to
asparagus beds, but it was labor lost;
the Weld was no better. We live and
Learn. Studying the habit of the plant
l found much that is interesting.
Flowing an old meadow l found roots
of asparagus that had sprung from
seeds. and the clumps of roots when
turned up were about eighteen inches
long and had in all cases grown by
inches toward the south. adding new
bud each year. the old buds or roots
being connected together with the
power to reduce an upward growth
only in the new bud. Another bed. in
bearing over thirty years and for the
last fifteen without manure, has shown
signs of running out. The stalks are of
good size, but very thinly scattered
over the ground, SO that onc-fourth of
the twO-acre lot was plOughed up. This
was done with little difficulty, as the
The decay and decreased production
was laid. not SO much to the lack of
fertilizing as to the fact that of late
years the ground had been worked
twice each season with light one
horse pillow, instead of by the old meth
cd of hand-digging with the six-tined
fork; the roots We're probably cut off
below the bearing point from time to
time by the piow, and the part of the
lot worst affected was where the plants
were deepest in the soil. Another bed
was set in rich land ten years ago, not
very deep. This, when a small part Of
it was plowed upto make room for hot
beds. proved a very tough job-the
hardest blowing l remember. The
roots here seemed to grow in all direc-
tons as to points of compass, but
always with the terminal shoot only,
ready for the spring trade.
A bed of one-fOurth acre set in the
spring of 'S5 with twO-yea--Old roots of
the Moore's Crosshred variety had last
spring stalks all along the rows from
one-half to one inch through. large
enough to cut; but none of them were
cut this season, as it is not considered
advisable to cut much till the third sea-
son after planting. This bed is on a
side-hill s!Oping east that had received
an annual manuring for twenty years.
The land was heavily manfred ut the
time and the manure worked into the
soil. The plants were set in rows three
feet apart. The plants were about a
foot apart in rows and not more than
four or five inches below the surface: in
fact. set in the rich surface soil OF the
garden without subsoil;ng or any such
trench ng as is usually recommended.
Next season this bed will yield an
abundant cutting of splendid shoots,
and if worked with fork and not with
plow will remain IN bearing at least
thirty years.
gus, as for rhubard, that the manure
should be applied in the fall. Our al
luvial soil does not respond to CONNER
al fertilizers: but wood ashes, lcached
or unleached, and horse manure are our
dependence. This put on in the fall
and worked into the soil early in spring,
the ground cleared of weeds about July
1. and then left till November. when
the beds are moved down and burned
to kill seeds. There is absolutely no
"best time" to set a bed. but g Their fall
or spring. as suits. The falls better on
some MINOR accOunts-thc land is in
better condition to work. the plants are
dormant and there is more leisure to do
that JOB well. The plants are best for
setting ut two years. for then you get
the plants in fresh soil. free or weeds
and strong enough to make Il vigorous
growth at once. Ona-year-oid plants
are good if the best ones be chosen and
You can raise your own seedlings and
in the meantime prepare the land
for the future led by crops which will
leave the soil in good condition to set
the asparagus.-W II. Buii, sn n. Y.
I5i1Yne.