The ranch. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1902-1914, 1906-09-01

this that the man who grows asparagus
can make money out of them by giving
them such niggardly care. They
should be given the best of soil and
the most careful attention in order to
return the grower adequate results for
his work.
The markets demand a stalk about
one inch in diameter and it must be
deliciously succulent. These can only
| be secured with good plants set well
apart on well-drained, well-manured
and well-tilled soil. For an extra early
crop the plants must be set in warm
| loan, exposed to the south or east.
Any amount of manure may be used,
as there is no probability of making
the soil too rich for the asparagus.
| If the soil is not very mellow add
plenty of bulky manure, such as fairly
we'll rotted stable manure or rich COM
post. Pillow it under and give the soil
thorough narrowing. Manure with
much straw or hay should not be used
| for the purpose, as it tends to make
the soil too loose, permitting the air
to enter and dry it out quickly After
the first year, when the above treat
ment should be had, use concentrated
| fertilizers that contain large percen-
tage of nitrogen and potash.
To get the plants it is best to plant
the seed yourself in the early spring
and when the plants are one year old
transplant them to the permanent
asparagus bed Some growers advo-
cate using two-year-old plants for
starting the permanent bed, but one
year-olds appear to be the most salts
factory, according to the leading
authorities. The male (pollen bear
| ing) plants are more vigorous than the
female (seed bearing) plants and
should be used, but it is hard to dis
tinguish them until they bloom. The
seed drills should be a foot apart and
seed covered to the depth of from one
half to one inch. When the plants
are up thin them out to three inches
apart in the drill. During the growing
season cultivate thoroughly and keep
the plot clean of weeds.
BY the following spring you will
have good vigorous plants to set out
to the permanent asparagus plot. 10
set them out prepare the ground with
deep blowing and thorough narrowing,
then make burrows five or six feet
apart. If you intend to have green
stalks. those grown above the ground,
make the burrows six or seven inches
deep. For blanched plants the burrows
must be deeper to permit OF the SHOOTS
growing underground. Set the plants
in the burrows not less than two feet
apart, each on a little mound, spread
ing the roots as they grew first In the
seed bed. When the burrows are open
ed fill in with fine rich compost, to
supply plenty of fertilizer to the roots.
Grow some hoed crop between the
rows the first year and in the fall cut
the stalks close to the ground, remoV-
ing all the dead and cut stalks to
prevent seed being scattered.
Early in the spring of the second
wear (third year from planting the
seed) loosen the surface of the ground
by shallow blowing or deep cultlVat-
ing and when the sprouts come UP
hill up the rows some, especially
where the blanched variety is to be
grown. 1t is inadvisable to cut the
plants for use the first season, as 1t
will give them setback Those lett
through the season will grow larger
and be more productive after the first
year from seed. From this time on
you can cut them as you like until
they turn pea-green, when they should
be left alone but cultivation kept up.
The asparagus will not be bothered
by many insect enemies, but rust and
the asparagus beetle, two varieties,
should be guarded against. The rust
may be controlled by thorough cult
walton and having healthy, vigorous
| optc 0rV