Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-10-28
Crow Asnaraaus.

Asparaglls as a feature of the city
aheck-vard garden" is coming into gen
oval favor That it was not adopted ear
ner was due to a miSapprehension as to
its growing habits and care 'Toachy
things the city gardener abhors. bue
most of all he detests those things Tor
which he has to wait. The amateur es-
peciaily used TO prefer row OF puiy
radishes to the best berries oifered-ati
because berries take few years ana
radishes a few weeks to come TO mar
vest" Asparagus came many years ago
from the marshes of southern Europe
and northern Africa. 1t was carried py
the spread of armies of conquest into
tile more modern countries. and now Is
known practically everywhere 1t grows
remarkably well in many parts OF the
United States.
There are two methods of starting
he'd of asparagus-with seeds and with
roots. If YOU use the former method
start with good seed, make the bed of
the desired dimensions. fork 1T deep,
work in a plentiful supply of fine, we'll
rotted manure, be sure the earth is made
fine and friable, and. above ALL see to It
that It is well drained Then sow the
seeds in rows fifteen inches apart, and
bury them one inch deep. Do not SOW
too thickly, for the plants must not
stand, after thinning, closer together
than three inches. Subsequently these
must be thinned to spaces not less than
Is by "a inches, and it should be borne
in mind that the more space they have
the more productive they will be after
ward. Take good care of the young
f,aa - t,raa dc nd
the soil loose and mellow. In the fall
when the feathery leaves have turned
yelowish brown. cut the stalks off at
the ground, dig up the bed to depth of
three inches without disturbing the
plants, and put over the entire surface
four to six inches of fresh loose stable
refuse. filled with straw. The following
spring rake off the coarsest of this ma
nure and dig the rest under. The young
shoots appear early, and if you have
never seen them before. YOU will have
to look closely for them.
If your bed is seed sown, the following
spring will give you what is terraed
"turions," no larger than lead pencil.
You may cut a few of these for treat,
but not great many of them, as the
plant needs all its strength this first
year.
If you have planted one-year-old roots
in the spring-and spring is by far the
best time to plant them-they should be
set in rows. the top of the stalks, or
buds upon the roots. six inches below
the surrounding level. 1t is wise to dig
trenches for the roots, and to put in
drainage, If the natural drainage is not
good, then some well-rotted manure, a
| little bone meal or complete fertilizer,
and a layer of well-powdered loan.
Don't forget to mix all thoroughly, and
| then set the roots on this foundation and
| fill UP the trench. 1t sounds like great
| deal of work, but remember, 1T is only
I once in eight or 10 years, perhaps even
| in 20, so you can afford to devote consid-
| erable time to it. The cultivation of the
roots is exactly the same as for seed
grown plants.
| There are innumerable varieties of as
| paragus. ornamental as well as useful,
| but the three best known and most gen.
orally cultivated for table use are Con-
| overs Colossal, Moore's and Palmetto.
The first produces large white stalks, the
| last smaller green stalks. Many prefer
the Palmetto for there is in it more
Il 'N''o $3.50
pretty, rotund stalk.
Asparagus enemies are rust root rot
| and beetles. Rust comes on this plan;
| as it does on beans. Brown specks APP
pear, and the leaf shrivels up and turns
| yellow. If rust appears, a fact you will
| soon remark, cut off all affected branches
close to the ground and burn them al
once. Early in the autumn, do not fail
| to burn all the branches SO that the dis
| ease may not be spread. Spraying with
/ Bordeau mixture and Paris green helps
| somewhat and certainly can not do any
+, harm.
| There are two beetles that feed on this
plant, both immigrants from across the
! water. One is known as the asparagus
! beetle, the other as the 12-spotted beetle
| They both feed on this plant alone, the
| former being found in great numbers
There are insects to help us in the de
struotion of this pest however, such a:
the lady-bug, some snake feeders, Of
dragon flies and wasps, and the spinec
and bordered soldier bug-al these ca
the larva of this beetle. Air-slaked lin,
busted on the dew-wet leaves destroys
/ the pest; or the ends of the branches
where they congregate may be cut ant
burned. The same remedies hold goos
for the spotted beetle, but his favorit'
place of hiding is in the berry, so thest
| should be cut and burned as fast as the,
form.-Indianapoli News.