The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-04-29

How to Grow Asparagus-proflt In
Sheep-Insects In Orchards.
Good asparagus is one of the best paying
crops that the truck farmer can raise, and
if he has the right soil and locality for
growing the grass he can do nothing more
profitable with the land than turning It
over to this crop. The best asparagus
needs peculiar soil and surroundings,
and it should be grown chiefly in such
favored locations as nature has provided
for it. Inland it cannot be raised with as
much profit and success as along the sea
coast, where the saline qualities of the soil
are very beneficial to it in giving it quiet
flavor, large size, and tenderness Of tex
ture. The inland districts can never COM
pete with the Coast truck farmers in grow
ing superior asparagus, no matter how
much they may surpass them in other
truck vegetables.
Barnyard manure and marsh muck,
properly mixed and decomposed, are the
ideal fertilizers for the asparagus beds, and
old land, by continued applications of
these fertilizers, will be greatly renovated
by treating an asparagus bed in this way.
Along the sandy coasts where the salt
water seems to impregnate in the soil far
inland, and where the moisture-laden at
mosphere surrounds everything, the finest
asparagus grows. Much of this sandy soil
is of verv little good for other kinds of
farming when it is first cultivated, but in
the course of time the soil becomes rich
and fruitful for other crops.
have taken up sandy land on the north
side of Long Island, where probably the
best asparagus grows in the country, and
planted 1t with the vegetables. No one
would imagine what possibilities there
were in such soil, for upon first sight it
appeared barren and destitute of all life.
But by systematic treatment with barn.
yard manure. well decomposed, and marsh
muck and sea weed, with an occasional
dressing of nitrate of soda, the soil was
gradually brought up to such q state of
fertility that large crops of asparagus are
now annually cropped there. The aspar.
agus grew there naturally at first. but IL
responded so we'll to improved culture
that everything was done to make the veg.
etables of superior size and tenderness
Sulphate of ammonia was occasionally
used as top dressing, and it proved very
effective; but the groundwork of the whole
system of fertilizing the beds was in The
manure and marsh muck, mixed together
thoroughly in the autumn and allowed to
decompose through the winter. This
muck. grass and manure were not only
valuable in making the soil more porons
and enabling it to hold moisture better
but 1t also supplied the sandy soil with
plant food, the very thing which it lacked
the most. Not far from the same field the
"Oyster bay asparagus" which has the
best name in the New York markets. Is
raised: In this region asparagus is made
speciality, and very few potatoes. corn.
cabbages. and onions are raised for mar.
kets. Asparagus is more profitable. and
all OF the energy of the farmers are devoted
to raising this toothsome vegetable. which
finds ready market in New York and
Brooklyn at fair prices Commercial fer
tiiizers are used extensively on these beds
and the only salt which is applied is that
along the Sound. Occasionally a Held
will be found that has not been fortified
for years. and yet the grass has fair an
rearance. The crown of the old roots
probably served as q fertilizer in a small
way. eut in no other locality probably
could this work be continued without
running the SOIL
affected by the recent agricultural depres.
sion, and so many are docking here IN
enter IN the business that the comnetit;o,,
Is becoming keen. The new corners md
1t diihcuit TO make much for the irst few
years. and they have to take their chances
along with the Others. There could. how
ever, he some improvements made IL lac.
expensive commercial fertilizers wers
used and more BARNARD manpre ard
marsh muck. With little system in nre-
pairing home manure, and renoya,;ne ~.
soil by feeding it with more plant food
there can De but little doubt that the bnsi.
ness would De improved: The more pro-
a<@t1 n
work, but they study the nature of tbe
business carefully. The soil is not rohhad
by them. but improved from wear TO wear
and yet they do il in q more economical
way than many of those who take from
.ae ianc al that they put on it, and more