The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1911-08-10
CULTURE or ASPARAGUS
professor A. c. Page, College Of A.
ricuIture, University Of
Missouri.

Any time of the year is the right
time to begin planning for an aspara.
gus plot. For the best results are
gotten from this delicious spring veg
etable when the plot is planned and
prepared a while in advance of plant.
ing.
In selecting a place for asapargus,
remember that 1t will need to be cut
every morning during its yielding sea-
son, and that the one planting Of 1t
will likely last lifetime. So it is
essential to put 1t in convenient
place. A row Of it along the fence
in the garden will probably be con.
venient, If the place is not already
occupied by rhubarb. 1t is very nee
essary that the soil for asparagus be
exceedingly rich, but in small plant
ing this can be made artificially
Having selected the place, the prob
lem is to put the soil in the best pos
sihle condition, both of fertility and
physical structure. Potatoes or some
other cultivated crop is good to pre-
cede asparagus, as the ground will be
well loosened up by it. Heavy manur-
ing is absolutely necessary. The
ground can not be too rich for as
paragus. Put on thick coating Of
manure, spade it in deeply and then
put on more, and keep on as long as
it seems possible to make it any rich
err 1t is much more satisfactory to
do this manuring at this time, before
the plants are started; for after the
plants are in there will be difficulty
in doing much heavy manuring.
1t is not so essential to have very
deep soil-bed, as the asparagus roots
tend to grow horizontally instead of
down. But the first foot of the soil
should be spaded and raked repeated
ly so that it will be mellow. If this
is kept up from now till time to set
the plants next spring, it should be in
tirst-class condition.
This is not the season for setting
plants, but a few words may not be
amiss 1t will usually be better for
the man who wishes to have home
garden of asapargus to rely upon the
scotsman or nurseryman for the
young crowns. Usually there is some
trouble in growing them from the
seed. If there is any choice, pick
the ones which are broad and we'll
developed. In setting them, make fur
rows from six inches to foot deep
and set the crowns in the bottom of
them. Sprinkle the dirt loosely about
o,,I To- will
leaf mold or some mulch like straw.
Add little more earth over the top
from time to time as they grow. Final
~. by this process, the row will be
level.
Asparagus should not be cut the !
first season at all. Let the leaves
grow and store up plant-food for the |
next seasons growth Usually there
should be very little If any cutting the
second year. it takes some time for
the plants to become well established.
The third spring there should he a
busy early morning job Of cutting
every day, and thus it is likely to
be for many years If the plot is prop
erly cared for.
In the fall and winter, cover the
whole asparagus plot thickly with ma
nure. and in early spring rake off all
that has not washed into the ground.
This will help to push the crop when
the ground warns up.
Be careful not to cut too long in
the spring. Some men have been
known to cut asparagus all summer,
as long as 1t would put out any kind
of shoots. This is not economical, as
it destroys the vigor of the plants.
They should be left alone after the
middle of June or the first of July
and the tops let to grow. The plants
will thus have a chance to store their
roots full of plant food for the next
springs rapid growth.
There are few pests which affect as
paragus. There is occasionally some
trouble with rust, and there is aspara-
gus beetle which sometimes bothers.
There is also a black fylike insect
which eats on the stalk of the plant.
The beetles and fly can be trapped by
letting a few plants grow up without
cutting until they are infested with
the hugs. Then they may be cut and
burned The rust may be combatted
by burning the dead plants in winter
Or sometimes by spraying in the sum.
mer after the cutting season. Care
should be exercised not to spray on
my plot that Ia being cut for use, as
The sprays are poisonous. Lead ar.
,enate solution is usually advised, al.
hough asparagus is not usually
sprayed at all.
Now 10 the time to kill weeds. They