Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1899-04-06

AN ASPARAGUS BED.
How to Make It-EarIy spring the
Best Time-PIants From Seed.

How to Make It-EarIy Spring the
BEST Time-PIants From Seed.
Early spring is the generally accepted
and best time for setting out asparagus
plants, though the planting can be post
poned for several weeks. owing to the
roots being very succulent, without the
injury which would befall many other
vegetables. But early planting is GER
tainly to he recommended if the soil
can be properly prepared. The crowns
or tops of the plants should be set about
three inches below the surface of the
ground. This is the depth for average
soils. though in light ones deeper plant
ings are often made.
Asparagus delights in deep, rich,
preferably sandy. loam Deep and thor
ough pulverization of the soil and in
corporation into it of we'll decomposed
horse manure-the more the better
are all important points in asparagus
culture If only small bed for private
use is contemplated. it would pay to
double dig or trench the soil two feet or
more. mixing some of the above manure
with each layer of the soil as it is turned
over. If. however the planting is to be
on larger scale, deep blowing manure
being first evenly spread). followed by
subsoiling, will suffice A manure
spreader will apply the manure in the
best possible manner. as it thoroughly
disintegrates it and disperses it evenly
Practical growers do not agree as to the
age of plants for setting. whether they
should be one or two years old; but, as
the advocates of each seem to attain
equally good results. there would not
appear to be much choice
In large plantations one year old
roots are generally used as being less
expensive. and if well grown are I'M
doubtedly preferable to stunted two
year old plants For kitchen garden
the latter, since they give quicker re-
turns. would be perhaps advisable. The
feeling as to the pocketbook must de-
termine the matter In market gardens
the rows usually stand four or five feet
apart. with plants two or three feet in
the rows The greater the distance be-
tween the plants the larger and stronger
will be the shoots and the longer will
the bed produce profitably 20 years or
more if well made in the first instance
and afterward regularly MANFRED. A
plan often adopted in private gardens is
to form beds FIVE feet wide. setting
three rows of plants in each, one in the
middle and the other two Is inches en-
either side of it plants to be set foot
apart in the rows or wider if thought
desirable. There should be paths two
feet wide between the beds. so that all
operations can be handily performed.
In large beds it is well to run a weeder
or light smoothing harrow over the
surface week or ten days after setting.
which will destroy any terminating
weeds. repeating at intervals until the
plants begin to grow, when the Guilt
vator should be used-carefully at first
In small beds steel garden rake will
answer the purpose until hoeing be-
comes necessary.
In addition to the foregoing The
Country Gentleman tells how to raise
plants and combat the asparagus beetle
The seed bed should be carefully pre-
pared as advised above. The seed should
be sown early in the spring in rows a
foot apart with seed an inch apart in
the rows. Perfect freedom from weeds
is required. as the delicate young
plants are easily smothered, and fire.
quent hoeing is necessary to keep them
growing and to form an earth mulch
during the hot summer months.
The following spring the plants may
be set in a permanent bed. By giving
proper attention to them these self
raised 1-year-old plants will be better
and stronger than the average of 2-year-
old plants usually procurable by pur-
chase. A light cutting of shoots may be
made the second year after setting and
the year following, and thereafter a
full one. The asparagus beetle, yearly
increasing in numbers. must be watch
ed for. If found to be present. especial
ly in newly made beds, the plants must
be busted at intervals during the season
with mixture of paris green and plas-
ter.