South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-08-04
CARE OF ASPARAGUS
BED IS BEING URGED
Healthy Growth of Foliage
Now Means Larger Crop of
Shoots Next Year.

Don't ignore the asparagus bed.
now that the cutting season is over.
1t has given you its food contribu-
ton: now see that it has plant food
TO make a good growth OF foliage.
Fertilize and cultivate we'll now 10
insure that strong, healthy growth
which is essential 10 a good yield of
shoots next spring.
That timely advice for gardeners
is contained in a new publication of
the United States department of
agriculture, farmers bulletin 500.
asparagus. which deals with aspara-
gus growing both on a commercial
scale and i'm the home garden. The
bulletin discusses the culture Of this
vegetable, its various diseases, fore
ing. canning. and also good methods
of marketing.
FertiliZc After Cutting Season.
After the cutting season the ridges
should be leveled and the asparagus
bed thoroughly cultivated. says the
writer of the bulletin. A good high
grade fertilizer then should be ap-
piled at the rate of 1000 10 1900
pounds 70 the acre. A fertilizer
containing two 10 four percent of
nitrogen, six 10 eight percent of
phosphoric acid. and six 10 eight
percent Of potash will give good re
suits. Muriate of potash and kainit
are preferable 10 sulphate Of potash.
Where the land is already heavily
MANFRED. the nitrogen may be left
out of the fertilizer mixture. The
fertilizer TO be applied should be dis
tributed broadcast over the bed or
in a strip on either side of the row
and thoroughly mixed with the sur
face soil by narrowing or cultiva-
ton Flat cultivation should be
practiced after the cutting season.
Preparing For Winter.
I'm many sections the asparagus
plants are cut down as soon as the
berries turn red. and after drying
sufficiently they are burned 20 de
stroy any disease germs or Insects
that may he present. In regions
where severe freezes occur it is
doubtful whether the cutting and
burning of asparagus tops is advis-
able. The old tops hold the snow
and prevent deep freezing and the
blowing Of soil Some growers thor
oughly harrow the bed after the
tops are removed. others throw a
slight ridge over the row. but ridg-
ing is not necessary unless there is
danger of injury by severe freezing
during the' winter. Where land is
inlined 20 wash. cultivating and
ridging in the fall are Objectionable.
Careful handling often will get a
high grade and a relatively high
price for grain and hay which other
wise would grade low and sell slow,
say specialists Of the United States
department Of agriculture.
IL is worth while for producers 10
keep this fact in mind now that the
harvest season for grain and hay is
approaching in many sections. The
supply of the best grades of grain
and hay on the market is always
light This frequently may be at
tributed directly 10 poor handling
and care. Quality always demands
the best price, hence the greatest
care should he exercised i'm harvest
ing and storing.
Practical Hay and Grain Hints.
Do not store damp grain or hay
unless you have adequate facilities
for frequent turning" otherwise
they are likely 10 so out Of condi-
ton. Few farmers realize how small
a percentage of moisture will cause
otherwise good grain or hay TO heat
and deteriorate.
Never bale damp hay.
If your grain contains "A large
percentage of foreign material, clean
it. 1t keeps better.
Feed low grades and screenings
on the farm.
Do not mix varieties. In most
cases il can be avoided. 1t nearly
always causes the commodity you
are selling 10 grade low.
Marketing and Storage suggestions
Remember at all times that there
is nearly always a better market
for clean. dry, and unmixed varie-
ties of grain or hay than for that
which is damp. dirty, musty. moldy
and Oft color.
Begin now 10 arrange for proper
harvest and care of the coming
corn crop. Remember deteriora-
ton of your crop this year because
of careless handling and storage
will mean an enormous loss both TO
you and the country.
Begin now 10 study your probable
feed requirements for the coming
year, and determine what quantity
you will require and whether you
will retain enough TO meet your
needs or purchase IL.
Take Care of Next Years Seed.
While il appears that there Will be
plenty of good seed winter wheat
seed winter rye. and seed of other
faIl-sown crops if the available sup
ply is properly distributed, every
one who is contemplating sowing an
acreage of any of these crops this
fall should provide for his seed sup
ply as soon as possible. II will be
necessary 10 ship seed wheat into
sections where the wheat winter
killed badly. In other sections