Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1902-11-28
!. astin9tpu Standard
CULTIVATION OF ASPARAGUS.
II is Product Which viii Pay Largely for
Cultivation.

Cultivation
Asparagus is one OF the profitable
garden crops which should be extern
sively grown in the Puget Sound
country" said W. NJ. Lee, an old-time
market gardener from the asparagus
fields oil Long Island, to an Ercning
News reporter. " 1t is plant which
comes in just when other vegetables
are scarce, and naturally commands
high price, and it is one of the
best appetisers that can grace the
table. Besides it is profitable. 1t is
not infrequent that 500 per acre will
be realized from asparagus, after the
beds were three years old. The crop
seems to gain in value with age, and
is long time in running out so that
1t is never Improbable.
The use Of asparagus dates back at
least 400 years. 1t was known in Eu
rope as both medicinal and food pro-
ducing vegetable. The pheasants
picked the wild stems and dried them
for their curative powers in kidney and
other diseases. The people of wealth
used the stems, both green and dry,
for food. Many of the old gardens Of
Europe had choice asparagus beds on
which much time and money we're
spent to make them productive. That
the efforts were crowned with success
is shown by the statements that two
and three stems would weigh a pound.
There are several distinct varie-
ties of asparagus. Some are OF the
ornamental class and others are bene.
fetal or marketable. OF the 100 varie-
ties there are probably four leading
named sorts that are planted for profit
in our country. These are known as
Conover's Colossal, Barr's Mammoth,
Giant Argentenil and Yellow Ber-
gundy. Gardeners grow the variety
best adapted to the markets they sup
ply. Some people like green stemmed,
others the yellow, and many the white.
A few want the big stems and the
growers supply them.
"The best way to start a bed of as.
paragus is to set out the roots. These
can be purchased of almost any seeds
man or nursery dealer for from Is
cents to 81 per hundred. In planting
large areas, of course, the cost OF roots
is less by the thousand. The two.year
old roots are the best to plant, as they
begin giving stems earlier than young
er ones. If seed is planted it will
require three years from time OF plant
ing before good crops can be harvest
ed. One pound of seed will sprout
at least 5000 plants.
Asparagus is generally set in beds
or rows, two feet or more apart. Some
advocate setting closer, others farther
apart. Ordinarily about $500 roots
will set an acre. These plants ought
to be purchased for $40 10 SIS. Grow
ers differ as to methods of planting.
Ny plan is to set the roots about six
inches in the ground, cover with light
earth and press the soil over them.
The land must be in good condition
and we'll MANFRED each year.
1.-THE shoots, or stems, come upl
early in the spring. When a little
above the ground they should be cut
and marketed. Ridging up over the
hills gives the stocks a chance to
blanch in the SOIL If covered in the
winter with straw, coarse litter or
other substance, the plants come out
earlier. The stems are tied iu punches
weighing about two pounds or more,
and sold by the bunch. In later days
they have the asparagus in small
boxes. It sells for from Eve to fifteen
cents pound from the growers, and
Ietdlle JOf muc0 more.
IAN asparagus bed Eve years old
will generally produce 1900 or more
lunches annually. Some people say
they get double that from IN acre.
The punches weigh from two TO four
pounds. They never cell At the gar
dens for less than five cents q pound.
Most of the Western asparagus men
get about ten cents . pound for the
season. The plant is always in de-
mand. There are only few garden
ers interested in growing it. This
would lead to believe that it is q most
promising plant for the Puget Sound
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