Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1899-08-18
PLAN AHEAD.
This 10 Something That Is Very oii'
Neglected.


marquis now is the time TO plan 10
next spring for it is necessary that TN
plants you intend to force shouiu W
where you can conveniently get
them to force them, or course YOU
won't want to use your whole pea 81
this spring is a good time TO set oui
a new one or to divide the old into
early and late.
In setting pie-plant it is better 10
get old roots as the seedlings are no.
sure to come true to type and as one
cannot conveniently run an expert
ment station in a garden and do much
else I say plant the old roots. Oi
course YOU might from seed get some
grand new sorts; If you are In II TOT
money take good old roo and divide
with sharp knife or the spade into
as many pieces as there are eyes o.
buds; YOU must be careful that each
piece has a bud or ii Wiii not grow no
matter how large the cutting
To prepare the ground, select
southern exposure and pillow deeply
and heavily fertilize. Do not be afraid
of putting on too much manure, there
is no danger of that for pie-plant is
a heavy feeder The roots should be
.set for the purpose Of forcing about
five feet apart in rows each way ar
Ganged so that the plants of the sec
yond row will come midway between
the plants of the first row. | think
spring the best time 10 set out. and
the crown of the plant should just
come above the ground, you cannot
force a new bed for two years. with
out danger of injuring it, but you may
cut from it at any time when 1t Is
large enough.
The forcing is done by placing kegs
around the plants and banking with
heating manure or by using rows OF
boards and banking around it. You
can force it here and have it ready for
market in February or by the first of
March unless the winter is unusually
cold OF nights a piece Of old mating
or carpet should be thrown over the
top to keep out the chill air.
II you will plant horseradish sets
Spy time up to the first Of June You
Hn.y force them next spring. BY sets
! mean the little top shoot with about
half an inch of stalk on II. set these
out on the south side Of a building
give them rich soil and plenty Of wa
ter and they will do the rest, the lat
ter part of January scrape away the
snow if there is any and cover six
inches deep with well-heated manure
notice it in a week and see if the
shoots have not started, If they are ar
inch high they will do to dig; wash
and grind the roots and place in good
vinegar in pint and quart cans ant
YOU can sell them as fast as you wan
TO-
For forcing asparagus you mus
stake off the bed you mean TO force
would advise forcing one end Of thc
bed one spring and one end next al
il is not safe to force it two consecu
tive seasons You must also in tn
before the ground freezes dig {
16nch eighteen inches to two fee
deep around each clump Of roots. ia
enough from il so you eXr"9e none o
the roots. This trench must be wei
packed in with straw; give the sur
face of the ground a good dressing o
well-rotted manure or. better yet. fer
tilizer.
When you want to force your aspar
agus dig the straw out Of the trenc
and fill with heating manure banke
up to two feet abov" the plants on tn
north and a foot on he south. then pu
on your sash, plant bed cloth or plat
factory and your asparagus is read
to start a growth, you must keep
watered well.
hope YOU will plan ahead and gro'
something early and get a good pric
for 1t. as I know you can.-G. NJ. /
Garden and Farm.