The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1911-06-29
CULTURE OF ASPARAGUS
Professor A. c. Page, College Of Al.
rtculture, University of
Missouri


time to begin planning for an aspura.
gus plot For the best results are
gotten from this delicious spring veg
etable when the plot is planned and
prepared while in advance Of plant.
ing
In selecting place for asparagus,
remember that It will need TO be cut
every morning during It's yielding sea
son. and that the one planting Of 4;
will likely last lifetime SO it Is
essential to put It in convenient
place. a row of It along the fence
in the garden will probably be- con
venIent, II tho place is no. already
occupied by rhubarb y Is very nee
essary tina. the soil for asparagus be
exceedingly rich. but in q small plant.
ing this can be made arUAcp!E
Having selected the place tho prot
lem is to put the soil In 'hr best pos
sible condition. both of fertility and
physical structure. PuIalu.s ur some
other cultivated crop is good to pre-.
code asparagus as the ground will b.,
we'll Iuoscnol mp by H. Heavy mauur
ing is absolutely n.,.sH.! Thr
ground can no. be too gt,h Tor as
pSta1ns Put on a lhi'h coating "i
manure. spade II IN deeply ANA men
put on more ana Keep oN as long as
81 seems possible to make 10 any rich
"r. II is much more satisfactory Il"
do this manuring at this time before
he plants are started. for alter the
plants are IN tAor" vs., br aih'aIiE
in doing mu"a heavy m'hWlNG.
il is not SO essential =" h"', very
deep so,rbod, as the a.n1"""0a root"
end 10 grow horizontally instead "i
down. But TN" first foo. OF me ""l
'hould be- paied ana 'HN.l Irp'aiHa.
ly so that il viii he mellow u this
ia kept up from now ull tim" 20 set
the plants nest spring g. should be- iH
iirstclass condition.
This is not the season for setting
plants, hut a few words mny not De-
amiss. Il will usually ho better for
the man who wishes 10 haF" a home
garden Of aeapurgus 10 rely Upon the
SCOTSMAN or nursnrym1n for the
young crowns Isually there is some
trouble IN growing them from 'h,
seed. II there SIS any choice pirf
he ones which are broad ana W'A
developed In setting them. make iur-
rows from s.N inches 90 a loot deer
md set the crowns In the bottom %.
hem. sprinkle the dirt loosely about
them and cover them lightly with
Leaf mold or some mulch like straw.
Md q little more earth over the tor
from time to time ms they grow f1na.'
". by this process the TOW VIII be
level
Asparagus should not be cut the
first season at all Let the leaves
grow and store up pIantfood Tor the
next seasons growth. uSuai'y 'hei'
should be very niue II any cutting ,h'
second year % takes some time ioF
the plants ~ become wei es'anll"hou.
The third spring there should De a
busy early morning )oO OF 'htl'Hs
every day. ana thus u Is HkpIF ID"
be for many years II the pIol Is prop
rrlv cared for.
In tho fall and winter, cover the
Who'll" asparagus plot imrkiy win ma.
nure. and in early spring rak" on all
that has not washed INTO the ground.
This will help to push the crop "heh
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 It would put out any KIND
OF shoots. This is not economical as
It destroys the Vigor OF the PlHhlS'