Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1917-05-11
05eDkCKYARD
81 FARNERs
= PROF JNnLARD DOLIE
HOME GROWN ASPARAGUS.

One Of the incest things about be-
ing a backyard farmer is the fact
that you can have all Of the asparagus
that you want TO eat If YOU Just take
the trouble to once plant il. You will
never have 10 plant ii again and the
bed will keep right ON producing al
most as long as the house viii last.
II you like asparagus ut all you like
it mighty will. as it is one OF those
vegetables Of a very decided character
which are either extremely popular or
equally unpopular,
Few people realize that asparagus
not only has a sort of medicinal value
but that it actually contains as much
muscle forming food as does d similar
weight of meat. 1t has very high
protein content and should be much
more generally grown than it is.
II you have sunny patch of
ground, twelve feet long By about
six feet wide or more, you can plant
it to asparagus at u very little ex-
pense. and next year and each sue
ceeding year you will have ell the
asparagus that your family can eat
The plants will begin to come through
the ground carly in the spring and
will remain in edible condition under
proper handling, until well into hot
weather, CT course you could cut a
fav, stallfu fIa fret Won - btt .,cur m.
suits will be very much better in the
end if you DO not attempt to use any
OF the crop until the following year.
Asparagus must have a compare
lively light. fertile. we'll drained soil
Heavy clay will not grow satisfac-
tory asparagus and if your garden is
heavy and cold you will get much
better results b. excavating bed or
trench to depth of Is inches or 2
feet and filing In the hole with mel
low sandy loan before planting.
1t is better to plant asparagus on
soil that has been used for garden
for several years than TO put it in
newly broken soil Spade the ground
as deeply as possible, the deeper the
bettSr, as the roots run deep and do
not do well in a very compact soil.
Then fine the soil with hoe and rake
until it is in fine mellow condition,
although not necessarily as fine as for
seed This should be done about the
first of May in most climates, al.
though it may be done much earlier
In the south.
The plants cost between one and
three cents each, depending upon the
size and variety. They should be So
cured from some local scotsman, or
from an old asparagus bed and set in
rows or hills with the crown of the
plant about s inches from the eur-
face of the soil Have the rows
foot apart and the plants six inches
apart In the rows The tips OF the
new plants should just about reach
the surface and the ground should be
covered with several inches of stable
manure
Keep the patch free from weeds
during the first season. The second
spring you can begin to cut the ten
der green and white stalks as soon
as they begin to push through tie
ground. Use regular asparagus
knife as 1t brings the stalks to the
surface and prevents injury to the
roots. Cut every tip that shows, as
they get tough as soon as the light
strikes them, and If you let any of
them go to seed that plant will cease
sending out new shoots for that sea-
son. Cut the shoots early in the
morning before the sun Wits them.
After the season is over and the
hot weather has come the bed should
be permitted to go to seed, and it
should be kept free from weeds at all
times. After the plants have ripened
they should be cut down and burned.
the ashes being thrown back on tho
bed for fertility.
| do not know of any garden crop
that will return a bigger profit for
the money and time invested than
will asparagus, and it certainly viii
be worth your while to plant bed OF
1t this year.