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diff --git a/31643-h/31643-h.htm b/31643-h/31643-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..8ac682c --- /dev/null +++ b/31643-h/31643-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,5589 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> + +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> + <head> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=iso-8859-1" /> + <title> + The Project Gutenberg eBook of Asparagus, Its Culture For Home Use and For Market, + by F. M. Hexamer. + </title> + <style type="text/css"> + + p { margin-top: .75em; + text-align: justify; + margin-bottom: .75em; + } + h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6 { + text-align: center; /* all headings centered */ + clear: both; + } + hr { width: 33%; + margin-top: 2em; + margin-bottom: 2em; + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; + clear: both; + } + + table {margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;} + + body{margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; + } + + .pagenum { /* uncomment the next line for invisible page numbers */ + /* visibility: hidden; */ + position: absolute; + left: 92%; + font-size: smaller; + text-align: right; + } /* page numbers */ + + .blockquot{margin-left: 5%; margin-right: 10%;} + + .br {border-right: solid 2px;} + + .center {text-align: center;} + .left {text-align: left;} + .smcap {font-variant: small-caps;} + + .caption {font-weight: bold;} + + .figcenter {margin: auto; text-align: center;} + + .figleft {float: left; clear: left; margin-left: 0; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: + 1em; margin-right: 1em; padding: 0; text-align: center;} + + .figright {float: right; clear: right; margin-left: 1em; margin-bottom: 1em; + margin-top: 1em; margin-right: 0; padding: 0; text-align: center;} + + .tnote {margin: 2em 5% 1em 5%; font-size: 90%; padding: 0.5em 1em 0.5em 1em; + border: solid 1px silver; margin-left: 20%; margin-right: 20%;} + + .footnotes {border: dashed 1px;} + .footnote {margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%; font-size: 0.9em;} + .fnanchor {vertical-align: super; font-size: .8em; text-decoration: none;} + + </style> + </head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Asparagus, its culture for home use and for +market:, by F. M. Hexamer + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Asparagus, its culture for home use and for market: + a practical treatise on the planting, cultivation, + harvesting, marketing, and preserving of asparagus, with + notes on its history + +Author: F. M. Hexamer + +Release Date: March 14, 2010 [EBook #31643] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ASPARAGUS, ITS CULTURE *** + + + + +Produced by Tom Roch, Matt Whittaker and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This +file was produced from images produced by Core Historical +Literature in Agriculture (CHLA), Cornell University) + + + + + + +</pre> + + +<div class="tnote"><p>Transcriber's Note: Obvious typos were fixed and use of hyphens was +normalized throughout, but all other spelling and punctuation was +retained as it appeared in the original text.</p></div> + + +<h1>ASPARAGUS</h1> + +<h3>ITS CULTURE FOR HOME +USE AND FOR MARKET</h3> + +<h3>A PRACTICAL TREATISE ON THE +PLANTING, CULTIVATION, HARVESTING, +MARKETING, AND PRESERVING +OF ASPARAGUS, WITH +NOTES ON ITS HISTORY AND +BOTANY</h3> + + +<h3>BY</h3> + +<h2>F. M. HEXAMER</h2> + + +<h4><i>ILLUSTRATED</i></h4> + +<h5>NEW YORK</h5> +<h5>ORANGE JUDD COMPANY</h5> +<h5>1914</h5> + +<h4><i>Printed in U. S. A.</i></h4> + +<p><a name="frontispiece"></a></p> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 724px;"> +<img src="images/i3.jpg" width="724" height="480" alt="" title="" /> +<span class="caption">BEGINNING OF THE ASPARAGUS INDUSTRY IN CALIFORNIA</span> +</div> + + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_iii" id="Page_iii">[Pg iii]</a></span></p> + +<h2><a name="TABLE_OF_CONTENTS" id="TABLE_OF_CONTENTS"></a>TABLE OF CONTENTS</h2> + + +<table> +<tr><th></th><th></th><th><small>PAGE</small></th></tr> +<tr><td align="right"></td><td><span class="smcap">Preface</span></td><td align="right"><a href="#PREFACE">vi</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">I.</td> <td>Historical Sketch</td> <td align="right"><a href="#I">1</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">II.</td> <td>Botany</td> <td align="right"><a href="#II">4</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">III.</td> <td>Cultural Varieties</td> <td align="right"><a href="#III">17</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">IV.</td> <td>Seed Growing</td> <td align="right"><a href="#IV">26</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">V.</td> <td>The Raising of Plants</td> <td align="right"><a href="#V">30</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">VI.</td> <td>Selection of Plants</td> <td align="right"><a href="#VI">38</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">VII.</td> <td>The Soil and Its Preparation</td> <td align="right"><a href="#VII">43</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">VIII.</td> <td>Planting</td> <td align="right"><a href="#VIII">49</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">IX.</td> <td>Cultivation</td> <td align="right"><a href="#IX">61</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">X.</td> <td>Fertilizers and Fertilizing</td> <td align="right"><a href="#X">72</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">XI.</td> <td>Harvesting and Marketing</td> <td align="right"><a href="#XI">83</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">XII.</td> <td>Forcing</td> <td align="right"><a href="#XII">100</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">XIII.</td> <td>Preserving Asparagus</td> <td align="right"><a href="#XIII">112</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">XIV.</td> <td>Injurious Insects</td> <td align="right"><a href="#XIV">126</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">XV.</td> <td>Fungus Diseases</td> <td align="right"><a href="#XV">137</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">XVI.</td> <td>Asparagus Culture in Different Localities</td> <td align="right"><a href="#XVI">145</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right"></td><td><span class="smcap">Index</span></td> <td align="right"><a href="#INDEX">167</a></td></tr> +</table> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_iv" id="Page_iv">[Pg iv]</a></span></p> + +<h2><a name="ILLUSTRATIONS" id="ILLUSTRATIONS"></a>ILLUSTRATIONS</h2> + + +<table> +<tr><td>Beginning of the Asparagus Industry in California</td> <td align="right"><i><a href="#frontispiece">Frontispiece</a></i></td></tr> + +<tr><th></th><th align="right"><small>PAGE</small></th></tr> + +<tr><td>Asparagus Plumosus Nanus</td> <td align="right"><a href="#Page_5">5</a></td></tr> +<tr><td>Asparagus Sprengeri</td> <td align="right"><a href="#Page_7">7</a></td></tr> +<tr><td>Asparagus Laricinus</td> <td align="right"><a href="#Page_9">9</a></td></tr> +<tr><td>Asparagus Racemosus, var. Tetragonus</td> <td align="right"><a href="#Page_11">11</a></td></tr> +<tr><td>Asparagus Sarmentosus</td> <td align="right"><a href="#Page_12">12</a></td></tr> +<tr><td>Crown, Roots, Buds, Spear</td> <td align="right"><a href="#Page_14">14</a></td></tr> +<tr><td>Stem, Leaves, Flowers, Berries</td> <td align="right"><a href="#Page_14">14</a></td></tr> +<tr><td>Flowers</td> <td align="right"><a href="#Page_15">15</a></td></tr> +<tr><td>Palmetto Asparagus</td> <td align="right"><a href="#Page_21">21</a></td></tr> +<tr><td>Pot-Grown Plant</td> <td align="right"><a href="#Page_37">37</a></td></tr> +<tr><td>Horizontal Development of Roots</td> <td align="right"><a href="#Page_51">51</a></td></tr> +<tr><td>Trenches Ready for Planting</td> <td align="right"><a href="#Page_57">57</a></td></tr> +<tr><td>Hudson's Trencher</td> <td align="right"><a href="#Page_58">58</a></td></tr> +<tr><td>Root in Proper Position for Covering</td> <td align="right"><a href="#Page_59">59</a></td></tr> +<tr><td>Cross-section of Trenches After Planting</td> <td align="right"><a href="#Page_60">60</a></td></tr> +<tr><td>Asparagus Field Ridged in Early Spring</td> <td align="right"><a href="#Page_67">67</a></td></tr> +<tr><td>Leveling the Ridges After Cutting Season</td> <td align="right"><a href="#Page_69">69</a></td></tr> +<tr><td>Fertilized Asparagus Plot</td> <td align="right"><a href="#Page_75">75</a></td></tr> +<tr><td>Unfertilized Asparagus Plot</td> <td align="right"><a href="#Page_77">77</a></td></tr> +<tr><td>Basket of Asparagus</td> <td align="right"><a href="#Page_85">85</a></td></tr> +<tr><td>Cutting and Picking Up Asparagus</td> <td align="right"><a href="#Page_86">86</a></td></tr> +<tr><td>Horse Carrier for Ten Boxes</td> <td align="right"><a href="#Page_87">87</a></td></tr> +<tr><td>Asparagus Knives</td> <td align="right"><a href="#Page_89">89</a></td></tr> +<tr><td>End and Side View of White Asparagus Bunches</td> <td align="right"><a href="#Page_90">90</a></td></tr> +<tr><td>Conover's Asparagus Buncher</td> <td align="right"><a href="#Page_91">91</a></td></tr> +<tr><td>Watt's Asparagus Buncher</td> <td align="right"><a href="#Page_92">92</a></td></tr> +<tr><td>Rack and Knives Used in New England</td> <td align="right"><a href="#Page_93">93</a></td></tr> +<tr><td>At the Bunching Table</td> <td align="right"><a href="#Page_94">94</a></td></tr> +<tr><td>Box of Giant Asparagus</td> <td align="right"><a href="#Page_97">97</a></td></tr> +<tr><td>Southern Asparagus Crate</td> <td align="right"><a href="#Page_98">98</a></td></tr> +<tr><td>Tunnel for Forcing Steam Through the Soil</td> <td align="right"><a href="#Page_107">107</a></td></tr> +<tr><td>A Long Island Asparagus Cannery</td> <td align="right"><a href="#Page_113">113</a></td></tr> +<tr><td>Sterilizing Tank</td> <td align="right"><a href="#Page_115">115</a></td></tr> +<tr><td>Sterilizing Room</td> <td align="right"><a href="#Page_117">117</a></td></tr> +<tr><td>Interior View of a California Asparagus Cannery</td> <td align="right"><a href="#Page_119">119</a></td></tr> +<tr><td>Perspective View of a California Asparagus Cannery</td> <td align="right"><a href="#Page_121">121</a></td></tr> +<tr><td>Cannery in Asparagus Fields</td> <td align="right"><a href="#Page_123">123</a></td></tr> +<tr><td>Common Asparagus Beetle</td> <td align="right"><a href="#Page_127">127</a></td></tr> +<tr><td>Asparagus Attacked by Beetles</td> <td align="right"><a href="#Page_129">129</a></td></tr> +<tr><td>Spotted Ladybird</td> <td align="right"><a href="#Page_131">131</a></td></tr> +<tr><td>Twelve-spotted Asparagus Beetle</td> <td align="right"><a href="#Page_134">134</a></td></tr> +<tr><td>Asparagus Stems Affected with Rust</td> <td align="right"><a href="#Page_138">138</a></td></tr> +<tr><td>Portion of Rusted Asparagus Stems</td> <td align="right"><a href="#Page_139">139</a></td></tr> +<tr><td>Asparagus Field on Bouldin Island</td> <td align="right"><a href="#Page_161">161</a></td></tr> + +</table><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_v" id="Page_v">[Pg v]</a></span></p> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_vi" id="Page_vi">[Pg vi]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="PREFACE" id="PREFACE"></a>PREFACE</h2> + + +<div class="figleft" style="margin-top: 0.25em;"> +<img src="images/capt.jpg" alt="T" title="T" /></div> +<p><span class="smcap">he</span> cultivation of asparagus for home use as +well as for market is so rapidly increasing, +and reliable information pertaining to it is so +frequently asked for, that a book on this subject +is evidently needed. While all works on vegetable +culture treat more or less extensively on its cultivation, +so far there has been no book exclusively devoted +to asparagus published in America. Asparagus is +one of the earliest, most delicious, and surest products +of the garden. Its position among other vegetables is +unique, and when once planted it lasts a lifetime; it +may be prepared for use in great variety, and may be +canned or dried so as to be available at any time of +the year; and yet in the great majority of farm gardens +it is almost unknown. The principal reason for +this neglect is based upon the erroneous idea that +asparagus culture requires unusual skill, expense, and +hard work. While this was true, in a measure, under +old-time rules, modern methods have so simplified +every detail connected with the cultivation of asparagus +as to make it not necessarily more expensive and +laborious than that of any other garden crop. To de<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_vii" id="Page_vii">[Pg vii]</a></span>scribe +and make clear these improved methods, to +demonstrate how easily and inexpensively an asparagus +bed may be had in every garden, and how much pleasure, +health, and profit may be derived from the crop +have been the principal inducements to writing this +book.</p> + +<p>In a popular treatise on so widely distributed a +vegetable as asparagus, the cultivation of which had +been brought to a high state of development many +centuries before the Christian era, there is little opportunity +for originality. All that the author has endeavored +in this little volume has been to collect, +arrange, classify, and systematize all obtainable facts, +compare them with his own many years' experience in +asparagus culture, and present his inferences in a plain +and popular manner. Free use has been made of all +available literature, especially helpful among which +has been the Farmers' Bulletin No. 61 of the United +States Department of Agriculture, by R. B. Handy; +also bulletins of the Missouri, New York, Ohio, New +Jersey, North Carolina, Maryland, Massachusetts, and +South Carolina and other experiment stations; the +files of <i>American Agriculturist; Gardener's Chronicle</i>, +from which descriptions of several ornamental species +by William Watson were condensed; Thome's "Flora +von Deutschland;" "Eintraegliche Spargelzucht," +von Franz Goeschke; "Braunschweiger Spargelbuch,"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_viii" id="Page_viii">[Pg viii]</a></span> +von Dr. Ed. Brinckmeier; "Parks and Gardens of +Paris," by William Robinson; "Asparagus Culture," +by James Barnes and William Robinson; "Les Plantes +Potageres," by Vilmorin-Andrieux; the works of +Peter Henderson, Thomas Bridgeman, J. C. Loudon, +and others.</p> + +<p>The author desires to express his grateful acknowledgments +to Mr. Herbert Myrick, editor-in-chief of +<i>American Agriculturist</i> and allied publications, for +critically reading the whole manuscript; to Prof. W. +G. Johnson, Charles V. Mapes, C. L. Allen, A. D. +McNair, Superintendent Southern Pines Experimental +Farm; Prof. W. F. Massey, Robert W. Nix, Robert +Hickmott, Charles W. Prescott, Joel Borton, and all +others who by their help, suggestions, and advice have +aided him in the preparation of this work.</p> + +<p> +<span class="smcap">F. M. Hexamer.</span><br /> +<br /> +<i>New York, 1901.</i><br /> +</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_1" id="Page_1">[Pg 1]</a></span></p> +<h1>ASPARAGUS</h1> + + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="I" id="I"></a>I</h2> + +<h3>HISTORICAL SKETCH</h3> + +<div class="figleft" style="margin-top: 0.25em;"> +<img src="images/capt.jpg" alt="T" title="T" /></div> +<p><span class="smcap">he</span> word "asparagus" is said to be of Persian +origin. In middle Latin it appears as <i>sparagus</i>; +Italian, <i>sparajio</i>; old French, <i>esperaje</i>; +old English, <i>sperage</i>, <i>sparage</i>, <i>sperach</i>. The +middle Latin form, <i>sparagus</i>, was in English changed +into <i>sparagrass</i>, <i>sparrow-grass</i>, and sometimes simply +<i>grass</i>, terms which were until recently in good literary +use. In modern French it is <i>asperge</i>; German, <i>spargel</i>; +Dutch, <i>aspergie</i>; Spanish, <i>esperrago</i>.</p> + +<p>The original habitat of the edible asparagus is +not positively known, as it is now found naturalized +throughout Europe, as well as in nearly all parts of +the civilized world. How long the plant was used as +a vegetable or as a medicine is likewise uncertain, but +that it was known and highly prized by the Romans +at least two centuries before the Christian era is historically +recorded. According to Pliny, the Romans +were already aware of the difference in quality, that +grown near Ravenna being considered best, and was +so large that three spears weighed one pound. The +elder Cato has treated the subject with still greater +care. He advises the sowing of the seed of asparagus +in the beds of vine-dressers' reeds, which are culti<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_2" id="Page_2">[Pg 2]</a></span>vated +in Italy for the support of the vines, and that +they should be burned in the spring of the third year, +as the ashes would act as a manure to the future crop. +He also recommends that the plants be renewed after +eight or nine years.</p> + +<p>The usual method of preparing asparagus pursued +by the Roman cooks was to select the finest sprouts +and to dry them. When wanted for the table they +were put in hot water and cooked a few minutes. To +this practice is owing one of Emperor Augustus's +favorite sayings: "<i>Citius quam asparagi coquentur</i>" +(Do it quicker than you can cook asparagus).</p> + +<p>While the indigenous asparagus has been used from +time immemorial as a medicine by Gauls, Germans, +and Britons, its cultivation and use as a vegetable was +only made known to the people by the invading +Roman armies. But in the early part of the sixteenth +century it was mentioned among the cultivated garden +vegetables, and Leonard Meager, in his "English +Gardener," published in 1683, informs us that in +his time the London market was well supplied with +"forced" asparagus.</p> + +<p>The medicinal virtues formerly attributed to asparagus +comprise a wide range. The roots, sprouts, +and seeds were used as medicine. The fresh roots are +diuretic, perhaps owing to the immediate crystalizable +principle, "asparagine," which is said to be sedative +in the dose of a few grains. A syrup made of the +young shoots and an extract of the roots has been +recommended as a sedative in heart affections, and the +<i>species diuretica</i>—a mixture of asparagus, celery, parsley, +holly, and sweet fennel—was a favorite preparation<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_3" id="Page_3">[Pg 3]</a></span> +for use in dropsy and gravel. Among the Greeks and +Romans it was one of the oldest and most valued medicines, +and to which most absurd virtues were attributed. +It was believed that if a person anointed +himself with a liniment made of asparagus and oil +the bees would not approach or sting him. It was +also believed that if the root be put on a tooth which +aches violently it causes it to come out without pain. +The therapeutic virtues of asparagus seem to have +been held in almost as high esteem by the ancients as +those of ginseng are esteemed by the Chinese to this +day.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_4" id="Page_4">[Pg 4]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="II" id="II"></a>II</h2> + +<h3>BOTANY</h3> + +<div class="figleft" style="margin-top: 0.25em;"> +<img src="images/capt.jpg" alt="T" title="T" /></div> +<p><span class="smcap">he</span> genus Asparagus belongs to the Lily Family. +It comprises about one hundred and fifty +species, and these are spread through the +temperate and tropical regions of the Old +World. One-half of these species are indigenous to +South Africa, and it is from this region that the +most ornamental of the greenhouse species have been +obtained.</p> + +<p>All the species are perennial, with generally fleshy +roots or tubers. The stems are annual in some, +perennial in others, most of them being spiny, climbing +shrubs, growing to a length of from five to twenty or +even fifty feet. The true leaves are usually changed +into spines, which are situated at the base of the +branches and are often stout and woody. The false +leaves, termed cladodia, are the linear or hair-like +organs which are popularly called leaves; they are in +reality modified branches. These cladodia are nearly +always arranged in clusters at intervals along the +branches, and the flowers generally spring from their +axils. They usually fall off the hardy species in +winter, and they are easily affected by unfavorable +conditions in all the species. Most of them flower and +fruit freely under cultivation, so that seeds are available +for propagation.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_5" id="Page_5">[Pg 5]</a></span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 706px;"> +<img src="images/i14.jpg" width="706" height="469" alt="" title="" /> +<span class="caption">FIG. 2—ASPARAGUS PLUMOSUS NANUS</span> +</div><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_6" id="Page_6">[Pg 6]</a></span></p> + + +<h4>ORNAMENTAL SPECIES</h4> + +<p><i>A. medeoloides</i> (<i>Myrsiphyllum asparagoides</i>), popularly +known as Smilax.—For many years this has been, +and is yet, one of the most commonly grown and the +most serviceable of the plants used by florists as +"green." It is readily grown from seed in the greenhouse. +While a few other species of asparagus have +been close rivals, it is yet unexcelled for many purposes +of floral decorations.</p> + +<p><i>A. plumosus</i> (the plumy asparagus).—A very +graceful climbing plant which for finer decoration has +largely taken the place of smilax, its foliage being finer +than that of the most delicate ferns, and will last for +weeks after being cut. The whole plant is of a +bright, cheerful green. Its branches spread horizontally, +and branch again in such a manner as to form a +flat, frond-like arrangement, the leaves being very +numerous, in clusters of about a dozen, bright green, +and one-half inch long. A native of South Africa, +where it climbs over bushes and branches in moist +situations. There are several named varieties of this, +most of which have originated in gardens. The most +distinct are <i>A. tenuissimus</i> and <i>A. plumosus nanus</i>, the +fern-like appearance of which is seen in Fig. 2.</p> + +<p><i>A. Sprengeri.</i>—This is one of the best and most +attractive house plants of recent introduction. It is +of graceful form and habit when grown as a pot plant, +but it is equally well suited for planting in hanging +baskets. Its fronds are frequently four feet long, of a +rich shade of green, and very useful for cutting, retaining +their freshness for weeks after being cut. As a<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_7" id="Page_7">[Pg 7]</a></span> house plant it has exceeded expectations, as it stands +dry atmosphere better than the older kinds of ornamental +asparagus, and is not particular as to any +special position. It delights in a well-enriched soil, +rather light in composition, with plenty of drainage, +and grows very rapidly. It is decidedly pretty when +in bloom, its little flowers being pure white on short +racemes, and the anthers are of a bright orange color. +Fig. 3 gives a good idea of its graceful habit.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 462px;"> +<img src="images/i16.jpg" width="462" height="600" alt="" title="" /> +<span class="caption">FIG. 3—ASPARAGUS SPRENGERI</span> +</div> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_8" id="Page_8">[Pg 8]</a></span></p> + +<p><i>A. falcatus.</i>—One of the most striking twining +plants for a large, temperate house. At the Kew +Gardens, in London, England, is an enormous specimen +of this species which is trained against the northern +staircase, where it has formed a perfect thicket +two yards through and twenty-five feet high, of long, +rope-like, intertwining, spinous, fawn-colored stems, +some of them fully fifty feet long, and clothed with +wiry, woody branches, bearing whorls of leaves from +two to three inches long and nearly one-fourth of an +inch wide, falcate and bright green. The young stems +are thick and succulent and gray-green, mottled with +brown. For large conservatories, and particularly in +moist, shady corners, where ordinary climbers will +not thrive, this is an ideal plant. It is a native of +the tropics of Asia and Africa, as well as the Cape.</p> + +<p><i>A. laricinus</i> (Fig. 4).—This handsome species +has been in the Kew collection at least twenty years. +It is grown in the succulent house, where, from a +vigorous root system, it sends up annual stout succulent +shoots, which grow to a length of about twelve +feet, and when fully developed are decidedly orna<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_9" id="Page_9">[Pg 9]</a></span>mental. The stems are perennial, terete, dark brown, +woody, one-half inch in diameter at the base, very +spinous, freely branched, and branches zigzag and +gray, the leaves in clusters one-fourth inch apart, hair-like, +one and one-half inches long, bright green, persistent. +Flowers axillary, many in a cluster, small, +campanulate, white. Berries globose, dull red, one +seeded, one-sixth of an inch in diameter. Common +in various parts of South Africa. It is an excellent +pillar plant.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 389px;"> +<img src="images/i18.jpg" width="389" height="600" alt="" title="" /> +<span class="caption">FIG. 4—ASPARAGUS LARICINUS</span> +</div> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_10" id="Page_10">[Pg 10]</a></span></p> + +<p><i>A. racemosus.</i>—This species is spread throughout +the tropics of Africa and Asia; the Cape form of it is +represented at Kew under the name of variety <i>tetragonus</i>, +as shown in Fig. 5. This is a vigorous grower, +with woody stems nine feet long, prickly at the base, +fawn colored, freely branching above, each branch +having at its base a sharp spine three-quarters of an +inch long. The leaves are of a gray-green hue, four-angled, +one-quarter of an inch long. Flowers in +racemes two inches long, whitish, very fragrant. Berry +red, globose, pulpy, one-seeded. An excellent climber +for rafters, pillars, etc., growing vigorously under +ordinary treatment. Its root system is a dense mass +of tubers.</p> + +<p><i>A. sarmentosus</i> (Fig. 6).—An elegant evergreen +species from South Africa, where it grows freely in +moist situations, forming dense, brushy stems with short +prickles, and studded with white, starry, fragrant flowers, +which are followed with bright scarlet, pea-like +berries; has stems four feet high, freely branched and +clothed with dark green flat leaves three inches long.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_11" id="Page_11">[Pg 11]</a></span> It is also grown in pots and baskets for the Cape-house, +and when in flower it is greatly admired.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 327px;"> +<img src="images/i20.jpg" width="327" height="500" alt="" title="" /> +<span class="caption">FIG. 5—ASPARAGUS RACEMOSUS, VAR. TETRAGONUS</span> +</div><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_12" id="Page_12">[Pg 12]</a></span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 325px;"> +<img src="images/i21.jpg" width="325" height="550" alt="" title="" /> +<span class="caption">FIG. 6—ASPARAGUS SARMENTOSUS</span> +</div><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13">[Pg 13]</a></span></p> + +<p><i>A. Broussoneti.</i>—A beautiful hardy perennial +climber from the Canary Islands, growing ten feet +high; feathery foliage and scarlet berries. In the +autumn this is very ornamental.</p> + +<p>Among the most noteworthy of other ornamental +species are: <i>A. Aethiopicus</i>, <i>Africanus</i>, <i>Asiaticus</i>, <i>Cooperi</i>, +<i>crispus</i>, <i>declinatus</i>, <i>decumbens</i>, <i>lucidus</i>, <i>retrofractus</i>, +<i>scandens</i>, <i>tenuifolius</i>, <i>trichophyllus</i>, <i>umbellatus</i>, +<i>verticillatus</i>, <i>virgatus</i>, etc., etc.</p> + + +<h4>EDIBLE SPECIES</h4> + +<p><i>Asparagus officinalis.</i>—While the young sprouts of +a few other species may be used as food, this is the +only one which has found a permanent place in cultivation. +It is a branching, herbaceous plant, reaching +a hight of from three to seven feet; the filiform +branchlets, three to seven inches long, less than one-quarter +inch thick, are mostly clustered in the axils of +minute scales. The rootstock, or "crown," is perennial, +and makes a new growth each year of from one +to three inches, extending horizontally, and generally +in a straight line. It may propagate from both ends, +or from only one, but in either case the older part of +root stalk becomes unproductive and finally dies. +Fig. 7 shows the new portion of the rootstock crowned +with buds for the production of new shoots, while the +older portion bears the scars and dead scales of previous +growths. From the sides and the lower part of +the rootstock numerous cylindrical, fleshy roots start<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14">[Pg 14]</a></span> and extend several feet horizontally, but do not penetrate +the soil deeply.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 351px;"> +<img src="images/i23.jpg" width="351" height="550" alt="" title="" /> +<table><tr><td valign="top"><span class="caption">FIG. 7—ASPARAGUS CROWN, +ROOTS, BUDS, AND +SPEAR</span></td> <td><span class="caption">FIG. 8—ASPARAGUS STEM, +LEAVES, FLOWERS, +AND BERRIES</span></td></tr></table> +</div> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15">[Pg 15]</a></span> +In the course of time the older +roots become hollow and inactive without becoming +detached from the rootstock. The young root formation +always takes place a little above the old roots, +which circumstance explains why the asparagus plants +gradually rise above the original level, thus necessitating +the annual hilling up or the covering of the +crowns with additional soil.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 419px;"> +<img src="images/i24.jpg" width="419" height="228" alt="" title="" /> +<span class="left"><b>FIG. 9 + + FIG. 10 + + + FIG. 11</b></span> +</div> + +<p>The asparagus flowers are mostly solitary at the +nodes, of greenish-yellow color, drooping or filiform, +jointed peduncles; perianth, six-parted, campanulate, +as seen in Fig. 8. Anthers, introrse; style, short; +stigma, three-lobed; berry, red, spherical, three-celled; +cells, two-seeded. While the flowers are generally +diœcious—staminate and pistillate flowers being borne +on different plants—there appear also hermaphrodite +flowers, having both pistils and fully developed stamens +in the same flower. Fig. 9 shows a pistillate, +Fig. 10 a staminate, and Fig. 11 a hermaphrodite or +bisexual flower.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16">[Pg 16]</a></span></p> + +<p>In one case, at least, the author has also observed +that a plant which has been barren of seed at first +changed into a seed-bearing plant the following year. +Similar changes in the sexuality of strawberries have +been observed under certain conditions. These facts +may explain, in a measure, the difficulty experienced +in raising permanently sterile asparagus plants.</p> + +<p><i>Asparagus acutifolius.</i>—A native of Southern +Europe and Northern Africa. It has a fleshy rootstock, +hard, wiry, brown stems, five to seven feet high, +with rigid branches three to six inches long, thickly +closed, with tufts of gray-green, hair-like, rigid leaves, +which in exposed situations are almost spinous. Flowers +yellow, a quarter of an inch in diameter, fragrant. +The young sprouts are tender, and, when cooked, of +a peculiar aromatic flavor. In their native home they +are used like the cultivated kind.</p> + +<p><i>A. aphyllus.</i>—Indigenous to Greece, where the +young shoots are commonly used as food, especially +during Lent.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17">[Pg 17]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="III" id="III"></a>III</h2> + +<h3>CULTURAL VARIETIES</h3> + +<div class="figleft" style="margin-top: 0.25em;"> +<img src="images/capa.jpg" alt="A" title="A" /></div> +<p><span class="smcap">lthough</span> but one species of edible asparagus +has found its way into general cultivation, +many varieties and strains are recognized.</p> + +<p>Up to within a comparatively recent period +it was thought that there existed only one distinct +kind, or variety, of asparagus. As late as 1869 so keen +an observer as Peter Henderson believed that "the +asparagus of our gardens is confined to only one +variety, and the so-called giant can be made gigantic +or otherwise, just as we will it, and the purple top +variety will become a green top whenever the composition +of the soil is not of the kind to develop the +purple, and <i>vice versa</i>. All practical gardeners know +how different soils and climates change the appearance +of the same variety. Seeds of cabbage taken +from the same bag and sown at the same time, but +planted out in soils of light sandy loam, heavy clayey +loam, and peat or leaf-mold, will show such marked +differences when at maturity as easily to be pronounced +different sorts. This, no doubt, is the reason +why the multitude of varieties of all vegetables, when +planted side by side to test them, are so wonderfully +reduced in number."</p> + +<p>But after inspecting an acre of ordinary asparagus +and an acre of Abraham Van Siclen's Colossal—which +was afterward introduced as Conover's Colossal—at<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18">[Pg 18]</a></span> +Jamaica, L. I., N. Y., Mr. Henderson wrote: "A +thorough inspection of the roots of each lot proved +that they were of the same age when planted. The +soil was next examined, and found to be as near the +same as could be, yet these two beds of asparagus +showed a difference that no longer left me a shadow +of a doubt of their being entirely different varieties."</p> + +<p>In but few vegetables do the conditions of soil, +locality, mode of cultivation, and other circumstances +affect the quality, size, and appearance as much as in +asparagus. It is therefore difficult to distinguish +fixed and permanent varieties from mere local strains +and forms secured by selection.</p> + +<p>Through natural and artificial selection, through +use of seed of strong shoots from superior roots, there +has been improvement in the size and yield of asparagus; +from the peculiar adaptability of soil and climate, +and the effect of manure and high cultivation, there +have appeared certain variations in the product of different +beds which have led to the bestowing of a new +name; but the effect of this care and these favorable +conditions is not sufficiently strong to produce distinct +varieties with fixed characteristics. Therefore, with +correct and rational treatment of the plant from the +time of seeding through all the stages of culture, satisfactory +results may be reached with almost any of the +varieties on the market.</p> + + +<h4>AMERICAN VARIETIES</h4> + +<p><i>Barr's Mammoth</i> (Barr's Philadelphia Mammoth).—Originated +with Crawford Barr, a prominent market +gardener of Pennsylvania. It is one of the earliest<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19">[Pg 19]</a></span> +varieties, is very productive, and grows to the largest +size. In Philadelphia it is much sought after, and brings +the highest prices.</p> + +<p><i>Conover's Colossal</i> (Van Siclen's Colossal).—Originated +with Abraham Van Siclen, of Long Island, N. Y., +and was introduced by S. B. Conover, a commision +merchant of West Washington Market, New York +City, some thirty years ago. The superiority of this +variety over all other kinds known at that time made +it soon supplant all other varieties, and it is to this day +better and more favorably known than any other sort.</p> + +<p><i>Columbian Mammoth White.</i>—This was introduced +by D. M. Ferry & Co., in 1893. The immense shoots +are clear white, and, in favorable weather, remain so +until three or four inches above the surface, without +earthing up or any other artificial blanching. The +crown or bud of the young stalk is considerably smaller +than the part just below it, thus further distinguishing +the variety. All but a very few of the seedlings will +produce clear white shoots, and the green ones can be +readily distinguished and rejected when planting the +permanent bed.</p> + +<p><i>Donald's Elmira.</i>—Originated by A. Donald, +Elmira, N. Y., and was first introduced by Johnson & +Stokes, Philadelphia, Pa. This is characterized by +the delicate green color of its stems, different from any +other kind. Its stalks are very tender and succulent, +while its size is all that can be desired.</p> + +<p><i>Eclipse</i> (Dreer's Eclipse).—A light green mammoth +strain of excellent quality and attractive appearance. +The stalks, not rarely, measure two inches in diameter,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20">[Pg 20]</a></span> +and even when twelve to fifteen inches long are perfectly +tender and of a delicate light green color.</p> + +<p><i>Hub.</i>—Originated in New Hampshire several years +ago, and was introduced by Joseph Breck & Sons, +Boston, Mass. Although not generally catalogued, it +is a distinct and valuable variety that has made a +decided record for itself in the tests of the Kansas Experiment +Station, where its yield, by weight, was +greater than any other.</p> + +<p><i>Mammoth.</i>—This is a somewhat indefinite term, as +almost any prominent seedsman and grower who has a +particularly good and large strain of asparagus suffixes +it to his own name. Among the best known of these +are Vick's Mammoth, Maule's Mammoth, Prescott's +Mammoth, etc.</p> + +<p><i>Moore's Cross-bred.</i>—This originated with J. B. +Moore, who for twenty years was awarded the first +prize on asparagus at the exhibitions of the Massachusetts +Horticultural Society, at one of which the +weight of twelve stalks was 4 pounds 6-<sup>1</sup>/<sub>4</sub> ounces. It +retains the head close until the stalks are quite long, +and is of uniform color, while for tenderness and +eating quality it is excelled by none. It is particularly +recommended for cultivation in New England.</p> + +<p><i>Palmetto.</i>—A variety of Southern origin, but suitable +for the North also. At the South it is somewhat +earlier than Conover's Colossal, but its great advantage +is that it is almost destitute of, what dealers call, culls, +nearly all shoots being of a uniform and large size. +The bunch from which the engraving (Fig. 12) was +made measured twenty-two inches in circumference,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21">[Pg 21]</a></span> +and contained forty-eight stalks of nine inches in +length and remarkably uniform in size. It was taken +on March 30th from a field of fifty acres, near +Charleston, S. C. But the greatest point in its favor +is its comparative security from the attacks of rust.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 313px;"> +<img src="images/i30.jpg" width="313" height="368" alt="" title="" /> +<span class="caption">FIG. 12—BUNCH OF PALMETTO ASPARAGUS</span> +</div> + +<p><i>Purple Top</i> and <i>Green Top</i>.—These were the only +distinct sorts in cultivation before the introduction of +Conover's Colossal, but are now almost unknown to +the trade and cultivators.</p> + + +<h4>EUROPEAN VARIETIES</h4> + +<p>The named varieties of asparagus of European +origin are very numerous, as almost every locality in +which asparagus is cultivated extensively and successfully +has given its name to a strain more or less dis<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_22" id="Page_22">[Pg 22]</a></span>tinct. +Generally these varieties differ only in a single +characteristic, and these differences, for the most part, +are so little that they are lost when grown under +different climatic and soil conditions. The best-informed +authorities recognize three cultivated varieties, +which have distinct commercial characteristics and +whose seeds reproduce them in the seedlings.</p> + +<p><i>German Giant.</i>—This variety embraces most of the +German and French sorts—the Giant Dutch Purple, +Ulm Giant, Giant Brunswick, Large Erfurt, Early +Darmstadt, and many others.</p> + +<p><i>Argenteuil.</i>—Of this three sub-varieties are recognized—the +early, intermediate, and late; and these are +the kinds grown almost exclusively in the vicinity of +Paris, France, where its culture and improvement have +steadily developed for centuries. Under good culture +the late Argenteuil produces stalks from three to six +inches in circumference, at eight inches below the tips.</p> + +<p><i>Yellow Burgundy.</i>—The distinctive characteristic +of this variety is that the young shoots below the surface +of the soil are light yellow instead of white to tips, +being greenish-yellow. It is also claimed to be more +rust-resisting than other European sorts.</p> + + +<h4>VARIETY TESTS</h4> + +<p>To determine the comparative effects of manuring +on different varieties of asparagus, and also their comparative +earliness, Prof. S. C. Mason and his assistant, +W. L. Hall, of the Kansas Experiment Station, have +made some interesting and instructive experiments,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_23" id="Page_23">[Pg 23]</a></span> +the results of which are given in Bulletin 70, as follows:</p> + +<p>"The seed of ten varieties of asparagus was planted. +A good stand was secured, and the young plants were +cultivated during the summer in the usual way. +Early the following spring the entire patch was dug +up and the roots heeled in. The same ground was +then prepared for a permanent plantation, by plowing +it deeply and marking it with furrows four feet apart. +These furrows were made as deep as possible, but +after the loose soil had run back into them they were +on the bottom hardly six inches below the level of the +ground. In these furrows the roots of the seedlings +were planted (240 feet of row for each variety), +making altogether a patch of 35.25 square rods, or a +little more than one-fifth of an acre (.22 of an acre). +The plants were set about a foot apart in the row, and +covered only an inch or two above the crown, leaving +along the rows depressions some two inches deep, +which were gradually filled up during the summer, by +the many cultivations. During the winter the stalks +were cleared off, but nothing was done with the patch +in the spring more than to cut and note the earliest +shoots, the first cutting of which was made April 13th. +The patch was cultivated during summer as before, +except that the size of the plants interfered somewhat—many +of the plants growing six feet high and correspondingly +broad. During the fall the north half +of each variety was manured, at the rate of fifty loads +per acre, with strong barnyard manure, and in the +spring the effect was noted.</p> + +<p>"The following table gives results as shown by the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_24" id="Page_24">[Pg 24]</a></span> +records of ten cuttings made the spring of 1897, from +April 20th to May 19th, inclusive; varieties averaged +in order of yield:</p> + +<table width="75%"> +<tr><th><small>VARIETIES</small></th> <th></th> <th><small>YIELDS IN POUNDS</small></th></tr> +<tr><th>240 feet of row in each, one-half manured and<br /> one-half unmanured</th> <th><i>Manured</i></th> <th><i>Unmanured</i></th> <th><i>Total</i></th></tr> + +<tr align="center"><td align="left">1 Hub</td> <td>31</td> <td>27</td> <td>58</td></tr> +<tr align="center"><td align="left">2 Donald's Elmira</td> <td>29</td> <td>29</td> <td>58</td></tr> +<tr align="center"><td align="left">3 Vick's New Mammoth</td> <td>26</td> <td>20</td> <td>47</td></tr> +<tr align="center"><td align="left">4 Palmetto</td> <td>20</td> <td>18</td> <td>39</td></tr> +<tr align="center"><td align="left">5 Moore's Cross-bred</td> <td>19</td> <td>15</td> <td>35</td></tr> +<tr align="center"><td align="left">6 Conover's Colossal</td> <td>16</td> <td>17</td> <td>33</td></tr> +<tr align="center"><td align="left">7 Barr's Philadelphia Mammoth</td> <td>17</td> <td>16</td> <td>33</td></tr> +<tr align="center"><td align="left">8 Columbian Mammoth White</td> <td>18</td> <td>13</td> <td>32</td></tr> +<tr align="center"><td align="left">9 Dreer's Eclipse</td> <td>16</td> <td>14</td> <td>30</td></tr> +<tr align="center"><td align="left">10 Giant Purple Top</td> <td>15</td> <td>14</td> <td>29</td></tr> +<tr align="center"><td align="left"><b>Totals</b></td> <td><b>207</b></td> <td><b>183</b></td> <td><b>394</b></td></tr> + +</table> + +<p>"Of the two heaviest yielding varieties, Hub and +Donald's Elmira, the last named is the earliest, though +Hub is also quite early. As nearly as can be judged +from the notes, the ten varieties rank for earliness +about as follows, though all kinds yielded something +at the first cutting:</p> + +<p> +<span style="margin-left: 3.0em;">{10 Giant Purple Top.</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3.0em;">{ 7 Barr's Philadelphia Mammoth.</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3.0em;">{ 2 Donald's Elmira.</span><br /> +<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3.0em;">{ 6 Conover's Colossal.</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3.0em;">{ 3 Vick's New Mammoth.</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3.0em;">{ 1 The Hub.</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3.0em;">{ 9 Dreer's Eclipse.</span><br /> +<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3.75em;">4 Palmetto.</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3.75em;">5 Moore's Cross-bred.</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3.75em;">8 Columbian Mammoth White.</span><br /> +</p> + +<p>"Those included within a brace have little or no difference +of season. The numbers mark their rank<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_25" id="Page_25">[Pg 25]</a></span> +with regard to yield, 1 being the highest. The +ground occupied by this plantation is a rather low +bottom-land, being built up of a clay silt from the +former overflow of two creeks, mixed with vegetable +mold. It is rather too compact for the best growth of +asparagus, as it contains very little sand."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_26" id="Page_26">[Pg 26]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="IV" id="IV"></a>IV</h2> + +<h3>SEED GROWING</h3> + +<div class="figleft" style="margin-top: 0.25em;"> +<img src="images/capt.jpg" alt="T" title="T" /></div> +<p><span class="smcap">he</span> asparagus plant begins to produce seed when +two years old. When fully developed the +stalks are from five to six feet in hight, with +numerous branches upon which are produced +a profusion of bright scarlet berries, containing from +three to six seeds each. It is not advisable, however, +to harvest seed from plants less than four years +old.</p> + +<p>To save the seed the stalks are cut close to the +ground as soon as the berries are ripe, which may be +known by their changing color, from green to scarlet, +and softening somewhat. The entire stalks are then +cut off, tied in bundles, and hung up in a dry place +safe from the attacks of birds, some kinds of which are +very fond of this seed. After the berries are fully +dried they are stripped off by hand, or thrashed upon +a cloth or floor, and separated from the chaff. They +are then soaked in water for a day or two to soften the +skin and pulp of the berries, after which they are +rubbed between the hands, or mashed with a wooden +pounder, to break the outer shells. The separation of +the pulp from the seed is accomplished by washing. +When placed in water the seeds will settle with the +pulp and the shells will readily pass away in pouring +off the water. To clean the seeds thoroughly the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_27" id="Page_27">[Pg 27]</a></span> +washing has to be repeated three or four times. It is +then spread on boards or trays to dry in the sun +and wind. After the first day it should be removed +from the sun, but exposed to the air in a dry loft, +spread thin for ten days or more. When thoroughly +dried the seed is stored in linen or paper bags until +needed.</p> + +<p>When cheapness of the seed is the main consideration +such promiscuous harvesting may be permissible, +but when only the best is desired careful selection and +preparation becomes necessary. Even if the parent +plants are of choice types, not all the seeds from them +are equally good. The seed, for instance, which has +been gathered from a stool which has flowered side by +side with an inferior kind, and at the same time, may +be worthless, because it has been fertilized badly. +Then the last heads generally yield nothing but doubtful +seed which seldom reproduces the proper type. The +seeds which grow at the end of the shoots also, as well +as those produced by the upper and lower extremities +of the stem, have the same defect.</p> + +<p>In order to insure the production of the very best +asparagus seed a sufficient number of pistillate or seed-bearing +plants, which produce the strongest and best +spears, should be selected and marked so that they may +be distinguished the following spring when the shoots +appear. These clumps should be close together and +near some staminate or male plants which have to be +marked likewise, as without their presence fertile seed +can not be produced. The number of the male to the +female plants should be about one to four or five. The +following spring all the sprouts of the selected male<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_28" id="Page_28">[Pg 28]</a></span> +plants are allowed to grow without cutting any. On +each hill of the female plants the two strongest and +earliest stalks are allowed to grow, cutting the later +appearing spears with the others for market or home +use. Thus these early stalks of both male and female +plants bloom together before any other stalks, and +the blooms on the female plants will be fertilized with +the pollen of the selected male plants. This last is of +prime importance, for on proper fertilization depends +the purity of the seed as well as the vigor of the +resultant plant. Not all seed of even a good plant +properly fertilized should be used for reproduction, as +of the seeds gathered from any plant some will be +better than others. Only the largest, plumpest, and +best matured seeds should be used, for by saving these +the most nearly typical plants of the sort will be most +certainly produced. The selection of the best seed +from typical plants is as essential to success as are good +soil, thorough cultivation, and heavy manuring.</p> + +<p>The best seeds are produced from the lower part of +the stalk, hence it is well to top the plant after the seed +is well set, taking off about ten inches, and to remove +the berries from the upper branches, that all the +strength may go to the full development of the more +desirable berries. If, after this has been done, there is +more than sufficient seed for the purpose desired, a +second discrimination can be made between the seed of +plants which produce numerous berries and those +which are shy bearers, the latter being desirable, as +this indicates a tendency in the plant to produce stalk +rather than seed, and it is as a stalk producer that +asparagus is valuable.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_29" id="Page_29">[Pg 29]</a></span></p> + +<p>Harvesting, cleaning, and preserving the seed is, of +course, to be done carefully; the separation of the +heavy and the light seeds can be accomplished by +means of water, while the larger can be selected from +the resultant mass by the use of a properly meshed +sieve.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_30" id="Page_30">[Pg 30]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="V" id="V"></a>V</h2> + +<h3>THE RAISING OF PLANTS</h3> + +<div class="figleft" style="margin-top: 0.25em;"> +<img src="images/capa.jpg" alt="A" title="A" /></div> +<p><span class="smcap">sparagus</span> can be propagated by division of +the roots, but this method gives so unsatisfactory +results that it is rarely practiced. +Raising the plants from seed is therefore the +only method worth considering. The seed may be +sown either in the fall or spring. But far more important +than the time for sowing is the quality of the +seed. While asparagus seed retains its vitality for +two or more years, it is not safe to use seed older than +one year. Fresh seed may be recognized by its glossy +black color and uniform smooth surface, while old seed +has a smutty gray color and its surface is generally +rough and wrinkled. Yet even with this as a guide +it is not easy to distinguish bad from good seed, and +still more difficult, if not impossible, is it to distinguish +the seed of different varieties. It is therefore advisable +to procure seed only from dealers of undoubted +reliability and pay a fair price for it rather than to +accept poor seed as a gift. A uniformity of the individual +plants in the asparagus bed or field is a matter +of prime importance; only large, fully developed seeds +should be used, screening out and rejecting all small +and inferior ones.</p> + +<p>In northern latitudes spring sowing is preferable +to fall sowing. The ground of the seed-bed should +be well drained and fairly retentive of moisture. As<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_31" id="Page_31">[Pg 31]</a></span> +soon as the soil admits of working it should be well +pulverized and enriched with decomposed manure. On +a small scale a spading-fork is the best implement for +preparing soil for nursery rows of asparagus plants.</p> + +<p>Straight lines should be marked about fifteen inches +apart and drills made about an inch deep when the +sowing is done very early in the season, and one-half +to one inch deeper when the sowing is done later. +In these drills the seed should be dropped two or three +inches apart. The covering may be made with a hoe, +after which the soil should be well pressed down with +the foot. As the seed is slow to germinate—in from +four to six weeks, according to weather conditions—it +is well to sow with it a few radish seeds, which +will soon appear and mark the lines of the drills, so +that cultivation may begin at once. Soaking the seed +in luke-warm water for twenty-four hours before sowing +will hasten its germination.</p> + +<p>The cultivation of the young plants consists in +keeping the soil about them light, and free from grass +and weeds. Most of this work can be done with a garden +cultivator, or a hoe and rake or prong hoe, but +some hand weeding is generally necessary in addition. +Strict attention to this will save a year in time, for if +the seed-bed has been neglected, it will take two years +to get the plants as large as they should be in one year +if they had been properly cared for. In consequence +of this very frequent neglect of proper cultivation of +the seed-bed, it is a common impression that the plants +must be two years old before transplanting. One +pound of seed will produce about 10,000 plants, but as +many of these will have to be thinned out and poor<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_32" id="Page_32">[Pg 32]</a></span> +ones rejected, it is not safe to count upon more than +one-half of this number of good plants. The number +of plants required for an acre varies according to the +manner of planting. If planted in rows three feet +apart and two feet in the rows, it will require 7,260 +plants per acre; if planted three by four, 3,630 per acre.</p> + + +<h4>SOWING THE SEED WHERE THE PLANTS ARE TO +REMAIN</h4> + +<p>Growing asparagus without transplanting is gradually +finding many advocates among those who raise +only the green article. It is not only a cheaper but +in some respects a better method than the raising of +the plants in a special seed-bed, from which they are +transplanted after a year or two. "The plan is very +simple," wrote Peter Henderson in <i>American Agriculturist</i>, +"and can be followed by any one having even a +slight knowledge of farming or gardening work. In the +fall prepare the land by manuring, deep plowing, and +harrowing, making it as level and smooth as possible for +the reception of the seed. Strike out lines three feet +apart and about two to three inches deep, in which +sow the seed by hand or seed-drill, as is most convenient, +using from five to seven pounds of seed to +each acre. After sowing, and before covering, tread +down the seed in the rows with the feet evenly; then +draw the back of the rake lengthwise over the rows, +after which roll the whole surface.</p> + +<p>"As soon as the land is dry and fit to work in the +spring, the young plants of asparagus will start +through the ground, sufficient to define the rows. At +once begin to cultivate with hand or horse cultivator,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_33" id="Page_33">[Pg 33]</a></span> +and stir the ground so as to destroy the embryo weeds, +breaking the soil in the rows between the plants with +the fingers or hand weeder for the same purpose. +This must be repeated at intervals of two or three +weeks during the summer, as the success of this plan +is entirely dependent on keeping down the weeds, +which, if allowed to grow, would soon smother the +asparagus plants, that, for the first season of their +growth, are weaker than most weeds. In two or three +months after starting, the asparagus will have attained +ten or twelve inches in hight, and it must now +be thinned out, so that the plants stand nine inches +apart in the rows. By fall they will be from two to +three feet in hight and, if the directions for culture +have been faithfully followed, strong and vigorous.</p> + +<p>"When the stems die down (but not before) cut +them off close to the ground, and cover the lines for +five or six inches on each side with two or three inches +of rough manure. The following spring renew cultivation, +and keep down the weeds the second year exactly +as was done during the first, and so on to the +spring of the fourth year, when a crop will be produced +that will well reward all the labor that has been +expended. Sometimes, if the land is particularly suitable, +a marketable crop may be secured the third year, +but as a rule it will be better to wait until the fourth +year before cutting much, as this would weaken the +plants. To compensate for the loss of a year's time +in thus growing asparagus from seed, cabbage, lettuce, +onions, beets, spinach or similar crops that will be +marketable before the asparagus has grown high +enough to interfere with them, may be planted be<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_34" id="Page_34">[Pg 34]</a></span>tween +the rows of asparagus the first year of its +growth with but little injury to it."</p> + + +<h4>GOOD CROPS TWO YEARS FROM SEED</h4> + +<p>In answer to the many inquiries as to how asparagus +can be grown to weigh two and three-fourths pounds +per bunch of twenty-six stalks from plants two years +old from seed, as exhibited at a recent American Institute +spring exhibition, George M. Hay, of Connecticut, +writes in <i>American Gardening</i> as follows:</p> + +<p>"Select a piece of ground where the soil is light, +but of a good depth, and plow thoroughly. About the +1st of May mark off the rows three or four feet apart—for +myself I prefer the latter distance as giving +plenty of room for cultivation. Run a two-horse plow +over the same furrow two or three times and you will +have a depth of from fourteen to eighteen inches.</p> + +<p>"Trenches having been all made, we come to the +most important part—namely, manuring. In order to +give the young plants a good start after germination +we have to use liberal quantities of well-rotted stable +manure, and in this the young plants make roots that +in a short time are surprising. I use a one-horse load +of manure to every seventy-five feet of drill, tramping +it well down, and with a rake draw from each side of +the trench soil to cover the manure to a depth of from +two to three inches. The surface is raked level, and +with the end of a rake or hoe a furrow one inch +deep is drawn.</p> + +<p>"We are now ready for the seed, which should +have been soaked in tepid water for at least twenty-four +hours. This will insure the immediate starting<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_35" id="Page_35">[Pg 35]</a></span> +of the seed when the soil is moist and has not had a +chance to dry out. If unsoaked seed is used and we +have a dry spell for two or three weeks, the seed will be +almost useless by the time it receives moisture enough +to start.</p> + +<p>"When the asparagus is two or three inches high +thin out to one foot apart, being very careful not to +disturb the plants left. A piece of a stick cut to the +shape of a table-knife is an ideal tool for thinning out +the young plants. It will be necessary to weed the +rows by hand, while the plants are very small, for a +distance of six inches on each side, as the cultivator, +if run too close, will cover up the young plants. Keep +the horse cultivator at work as often as possible to +maintain moisture for the young roots.</p> + +<p>"By fall you will be surprised to learn how far the +young roots have traveled and the crowns prepared for +next year's crop. Cover the rows with stable manure +for the winter, and in spring give a dressing of one +pound of nitrate of soda to one hundred feet of drill, +and you will be well repaid for the extra labor and +outlay by being able to cut asparagus of extra size in +two years from the time of sowing the seed, doing +away with the transplanting of two-year-old roots, +and then waiting two more years before the first crop +can be cut."</p> + +<p>The principal objection which has been made against +this system of not transplanting is that it does not +admit of a careful choice of plants, as the plants must +be kept in the places where sown, while in the transplanting +method we need use only the choicest plants; +then, if two or three seeds come up close together, it<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_36" id="Page_36">[Pg 36]</a></span> +is very difficult to thin them out, and if left they will +produce an inferior growth.</p> + + +<h4>POT-GROWN ASPARAGUS PLANTS</h4> + +<p>In the tests made at the Missouri Experiment +Station, Prof. J. C. Whitten found that it is much +better to plant the seeds in six inches of rich, sandy +soil in the greenhouse or hotbed, in February or early +March, than to wait two or three months for outdoor +planting. Professor Whitten advises to "sow liberally, +for seven-eighths of the seedlings should be discarded. +When the seedlings are three inches high, select those +which have the thickest, fleshiest, and most numerous +stems, and pot them. They vary more than almost +any other vegetable. Many that appear large and +vigorous will have broad, flat, twisted, or corrugated +stems. Discard them. Beware, also, of those that +put out leaves close to the soil. These will all make +tough, stringy, undesirable plants. The best plants +are those which are cylindrical, smooth, and free from +ridges. They shoot up rapidly, and attain a hight of +two inches before leaves are put out. They look much +like smooth needles. This matter of selecting the best +plants for potting, and subsequent planting out, is of +the greatest importance in asparagus culture.</p> + +<p>"These young plants should first be put in small +pots and moved into larger ones as soon as they are +well rooted. They may need to be shifted twice before +they are planted out-of-doors, which should be done +when danger of frost is over. Started in this way +they continue to grow from the time they are planted +out and reach very large size the first season. In the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_37" id="Page_37">[Pg 37]</a></span> +case of nursery-grown plants, where seeds are sown +directly out-of-doors, the young seedlings start very +slowly, are very tender during their early growth, and +if the weather is unfavorable they hardly become well +established before autumn."</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 507px;"> +<img src="images/i46.jpg" width="507" height="386" alt="" title="" /> +<span class="caption">FIG. 13—ONE-YEAR-OLD POT-GROWN ASPARAGUS PLANT</span> +</div> + +<p>Fig. 13 shows a one-year-old plant started in February +in the greenhouse and transplanted to the field +the first of May. Plants grown in this way reach as +good size in one year as the nursery-grown plants +usually do in three years.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_38" id="Page_38">[Pg 38]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="VI" id="VI"></a>VI</h2> + +<h3>SELECTION OF PLANTS</h3> + +<div class="figleft" style="margin-top: 0.25em;"> +<img src="images/capt.jpg" alt="T" title="T" /></div> +<p><span class="smcap">hat</span> strong, healthy, one-year-old plants are in +every way to be preferred to two or three +year old ones has been demonstrated by many +carefully conducted experiments, and is now +universally recognized by intelligent and observant +asparagus growers. The most noteworthy and accurate +experiments in this line were made by the famous +French asparagus specialist M. Godefroy-Lebœuf, who +planted twelve stools of one, two, and three years old +respectively in the same soil under the same conditions +and at the same time. Calling those plantings +Nos. 1, 2, and 3, the following are the results obtained:</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p><i>First Year.</i>—No. 1.—All the stools came up before May 4th, +and were well grown.</p> + +<p>No. 2.—Ten stools showed above ground before May 4th, +one on the 10th, and one appeared to be dead. The asparagus +heads were very fine—finer, indeed, than those of No. 1.</p> + +<p>No. 3.—Eight stools showed above ground before May 4th, +one on the 12th, and three gave no signs of life. The heads +were very fine at first, but they became bent toward the end +of the year (September 15th), and were much weaker than +those of No. 2.</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p><i>Second Year.</i>—No. 1.—Well-grown, regular, and strong +heads, which measured on September 15th one inch in circumference.</p> + +<p>No. 2.—Well-grown but irregular heads, somewhat weaker +than those of No. 1.</p> + +<p>No. 3.—Only pretty well-grown heads, very irregular,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_39" id="Page_39">[Pg 39]</a></span> +some of the stools having as many as eight or ten, but all very +weak. One stool died after growing two heads.</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p><i>Third Year.</i>—No. 1.—Magnificent growths, the heads +measuring on April 10th from two inches to three and one-quarter +inches in circumference.</p> + +<p>No. 2.—Growth passable only, but very irregular. Some +of the stools were very small. The finest of them produced +heads which from April 8th to 10th only measured two and +one-half inches in circumference.</p> + +<p>No. 3.—Growth very poor and very irregular. Some of +the stools continued to produce small heads not much thicker +than a quill pen, the largest being from one and one-half inch +to two inches in circumference.</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p><i>Fourth Year.</i>—No. 1.—Growth very remarkable. The +heads began to show on April 3d, 4th, 5th, 7th, and 10th. +Some were from three and one-quarter inches to four inches in +circumference, and measured four and three-quarter inches. +Fifty of the heads formed a bundle which weighed seven pounds.</p> + +<p>No. 2.—Growth passable, but later than No. 1. The heads +made their first appearance on April 6th, 10th, and 11th. +Many of them were very small; fifty of them barely made +half a bundle, and only weighed three and three-quarter +pounds.</p> + +<p>No. 3.—Growth but poor, and somewhat late. The heads +made their appearance on April 4th, 6th, 9th, and 11th; one +did not show till the 22d. Fifty heads barely formed half a +bundle and only weighed two and one-half pounds.</p> + +<p>To sum up, it is clear that the plants of a year old in their +fourth season—that is to say, after having been planted out +for three years—gave a bundle weighing seven pounds, while +those of two years old only gave three and three-quarter +pounds, and those of three years old only two and one-half +pounds; in other words, taking round numbers, the plantation +made with the one-year-old plants produced double the +crop of the two-year-old plants and treble that of the three-year-old +plants. The reader may easily draw his conclusions +from the preceding facts.</p></div><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_40" id="Page_40">[Pg 40]</a></span></p> + +<p>Equally important is a careful selection of the individual +plants to be set out. A crown with four or five +strong, well-developed buds is far better than one +with a dozen or more of weak and sickly ones, as the +latter will always produce thin and poor spears of poor +quality. It is therefore highly to be recommended to +select only plants with not over six buds and discard +all others. The roots should be strong and of uniform +thickness, succulent and not too fibrous. Dry or +withered roots have to be cut off, and plants with +many bruised or otherwise damaged roots should be +rejected entirely. The best roots are the cheapest.</p> + + +<h4>MALE AND FEMALE PLANTS</h4> + +<p>It has long been observed that all of the asparagus +plants in a bed do not produce seeds, owing to the +fact that the male and female flowers in asparagus are +nearly always borne on separate plants. Seed bearing +is an exhaustive process, and, as might be supposed, +those plants that have produced seed have less vigor +than those that have not. In order to determine the +difference in vigor between the seed bearing and non-seed +bearing plants, Prof. William J. Green, horticulturist +of the Ohio Experiment Station, staked off fifty +of each in a plantation of half an acre. When the +cuttings were made the shoots taken from male and +female plants were kept separate, and the weight of +each recorded in Bulletin No. 9, Volume III., of the +Ohio Station, as follows:</p> + +<p>"The cuttings were made at regular intervals and +in the ordinary manner, as for market purposes. The +weight of shoots taken at each cutting is not given in<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_41" id="Page_41">[Pg 41]</a></span> +the table, since the facts are quite as well shown by +stating the aggregate weight for periods of ten days +each. The division into periods is made for the purpose +of showing comparative earliness. This could +be shown in a more marked degree by taking the first +and second cuttings alone, but they were too limited +in quantity to admit of conclusions being drawn from +them; hence they are included with the other cuttings +in the same period.</p> + +<h4>PRODUCT FROM FIFTY PLANTS EACH, MALE AND FEMALE</h4> + +<table width="60%"> +<tr><th></th><th><i>Product from <br /> fifty male plants</i></th> <th><i>Product from fifty <br /> female plants</i></th></tr> +<tr align="center"><th></th> <th><i>Ounces</i></th> <th><i>Ounces</i></th></tr> +<tr align="center"><td align="left">First period, 10 days</td> <td>37</td> <td>21</td></tr> +<tr align="center"><td align="left">Second period, 10 days</td> <td>104</td> <td>68</td></tr> +<tr align="center"><td align="left">Third period, 10 days</td> <td>266</td> <td>164</td></tr> +<tr align="center"><td align="left">Fourth period, 10 days</td> <td>203</td> <td>154</td></tr> +<tr align="center"><td align="left"><b>Total for the season</b></td> <td><b>610</b></td> <td><b>407</b></td></tr> +</table> + +<p>"This shows a gain of the male over the female +plants of seventy-six per cent. for the first period, and +a fraction less than fifty per cent. for the whole season. +Reversing the standard of comparison, it will be seen +that the female plants fall below the male forty-three +per cent. for the first period, and a little more than +thirty-three per cent. in the total. In no case did the +female plants produce equally with the male.</p> + +<p>"If comparative earliness is determined by the date +of first cutting alone, there is no difference between +the male and female plants, since the first cutting was +made on both at the same date; but taking quantity +of product into consideration, which is the proper<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_42" id="Page_42">[Pg 42]</a></span> +method, there is a decided difference, the gain of +the male over the female plants being seventy-six, +fifty-two, sixty-three, and thirty-one per cent. for the +four periods respectively. The difference in yield +between the two was greatest at first, and diminished +toward the last, which practically amounts to the same +thing as the male being earlier than the female. There +is a still further difference between the two in quality +of product, the shoots of the female plant being +smaller and inferior to those of the male.</p> + +<p>"It is not safe to draw conclusions from such limited +observations as these, further, at least, than to accept +them as representing the truth approximately. Allowing +a wide margin for possible error, there would still +seem to be sufficient difference in productive capacity +between the male and female plants to justify the +selection of the former and rejection of the latter when +a new plantation is to be started. If the figures given +in the table are taken as a basis, the gain in the crop, +if the male plants alone were used, would each season +pay for all the plants rejected, and leave a handsome +margin at the end of the term of years when an asparagus +bed has served its period of usefulness. Male +plants can be secured by division of old plants, or by +selecting those that bear no seed, after they have +attained the age of two years."</p> + +<p>In summing up the results of this experiment, +Professor Green states that male asparagus plants are +about fifty per cent. more productive than female +plants, and the shoots being larger have a greater +market value.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_43" id="Page_43">[Pg 43]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="VII" id="VII"></a>VII</h2> + +<h3>THE SOIL AND ITS PREPARATION</h3> + +<div class="figleft" style="margin-top: 0.25em;"> +<img src="images/capa.jpg" alt="A" title="A" /></div> +<p><span class="smcap">s</span> asparagus in its wild state is usually found +growing in light and sandy soils along or near +the seashore, it has long been supposed that it +could not be cultivated in other localities and +soils. While it is true that asparagus succeeds best in +a sandy, rich, and friable loam, naturally underdrained +and yet not too dry, there is not another vegetable +which accommodates itself more readily to as varying +soils and conditions. There is hardly a State in +the United States in which at present asparagus is not +grown more or less extensively and profitably, and the +most famous asparagus districts of France and Germany +are situated at great distances from the seashore.</p> + +<p>The question of what soil to use is, as a rule, +already settled; we have to use the soil we have. Any +good garden soil is suitable for asparagus, and if it is +not in the most favorable condition, under existing +circumstances, it can easily be made so. The soil +should be free from roots, stones, or any material that +will not readily disintegrate, or that will interfere with +the growth of the spears, and with the knife in cutting. +Fruit or other trees, or high shrubs, must not +be allowed in the asparagus bed, because of the shade +they throw over the beds, and because their roots +make heavy drafts upon the soil. Nor should high +trees, hedges, hills, or buildings be so near as to shade<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_44" id="Page_44">[Pg 44]</a></span> +the beds, because all the sunshine obtainable is needed +to bring the spears quickly to the surface. Whenever +practicable the asparagus bed should be protected from +cold winds, and so slope that the full benefit of the +sunshine will be obtained during the whole day. +Brinckmeier, in his "Braunschweiger Spargelbuch," +gives the following three rules for guidance in selecting +a location for asparagus beds:</p> + +<p>"1. One should choose, in reference to ground characteristics, +open, free-lying land, protected to the north +and east [which, for American conditions, should be +north and west], of gradual slope, free from trees or +shrubbery.</p> + +<p>"2. The field should be exposed to the rays of the +sun all day long; therefore, a southern exposure is +desirable, or, if that is not obtainable, a southwesterly +or southeasterly slope, because either east, west, or +north exposure will cause shade during a greater or +less portion of the day.</p> + +<p>"3. Standing, stagnant ground water, which cannot +be drawn off by drainage, is to be avoided, the +requirements of the plants indicating a somewhat damp +subsoil, but not too high ground water."</p> + +<p>For commercial purposes on a large scale, and when +the trucker has the choice of location, a well-drained, +light, deep, sandy loam, with a light clay subsoil, is to +be preferred to any other. Heavy clay soil, or land +with a hard-pan subsoil, or, in fact, any soil that is +cold and wet, is totally unfit for profitable asparagus +growing, unless it is thoroughly underdrained and +made lighter by a plentiful addition of sand and muck.</p> + +<p>Freedom from weeds is very desirable, even more<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_45" id="Page_45">[Pg 45]</a></span> +so than great fertility, for the latter can be produced +by heavy manuring, which the future cultivation will +require; and to the end that weeds may be few, it is +well that for a year or two previous to planting the +land should have been occupied by some hoed crop, +such as potatoes, beets, cabbage, etc. Land on which +corn has been growing for two or three years is in +excellent condition for an asparagus field, provided it +has been heavily manured one year previous to the +planting of the roots.</p> + + +<h4>PREPARATION OF THE GROUND</h4> + +<p>Asparagus differs from most other vegetables in +that it is a perennial, and when once planted properly, +in suitable soil, it will continue to produce an annual +crop for a generation if not for an indefinite period, +while if the work is done carelessly and without consideration +for the plant's requirements the plantation +will never prove satisfactory and will run out entirely +in the course of a few years. The establishing of an +asparagus bed is naturally more expensive than the +planting and raising of annual vegetables. In addition +to this, the plants have to be taken care of for three +years before a crop can be harvested. On the other +hand, an asparagus bed is an investment for a lifetime, +and the dividends derived from it increase in proportion +to the care and thoroughness bestowed upon the preparation +of the land.</p> + +<p>It is at once apparent, then, that nothing should be +neglected to bring the soil into the best possible condition +before planting. This truth was fully recognized +by the gardeners of former years who practiced<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_46" id="Page_46">[Pg 46]</a></span> +most extraordinary methods in order to bring the land +into the most favorable condition for asparagus. Even +now in some European countries, where labor is cheap, +the entire ground is trenched to a depth of three or +four feet, turning in at the same time all the available +manure, seaweed, and other fertilizing material.</p> + +<p>A famous old-time asparagus bed in England was +made in this manner: "The land was trenched three +feet deep in trenches three feet wide and cast up +into rough ridges, after a crop of summer peas. All +decaying vegetation in the rubbish yards and corners +was at the same time well sorted and turned up. Early +in autumn also were added some old mushroom, melon, +and cucumber bed material, a lot of manure from +piggeries, cow houses, and stables, a quantity of road-grit +and sand, a quantity of ditch and drain parings, +turfy loam and sods, quite three feet thick. These +were all turned over four times and well incorporated +together, between Michaelmas and Lady Day, as one +would a dungheap, the whole being left in large +ridges exposed to the frost. By April this compost +was in a kindly state; it was, therefore, laid down and +planted with good, clean one-year-old asparagus plants, +which certainly grew in a most extraordinary way."</p> + +<p>Another elaborate way of making an asparagus bed, +formerly practiced in France, is described by Dr. +Maccullogh as follows: "A pit the size of the intended +plantation is dug four feet in depth, and the mold +taken from it must be sifted, taking care to reject all +stones, even as low in size as a filbert nut. The best +part of the mold must then be laid aside before making +up the beds. The materials of the bed are then to be<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_47" id="Page_47">[Pg 47]</a></span> +laid in the following proportions and order: Six inches +of common dunghill manure, eight inches of turf, six +inches of dung as before, six inches of sifted earth, +eight inches of turf, six inches of very rotten dung, +eight inches of the best of earth. The last layer of +earth must then be well mixed with the last of dung. +The compartment must now be divided into beds five +feet wide by paths constructed of turf two feet in +breadth and one foot in thickness."</p> + +<p>A bed prepared in this manner, and planted and +cultivated with as much painstaking care, will no doubt +produce asparagus of unsurpassed quality, and may +last forever. Yet the use of modern implements and a +better knowledge of the nature and requirements of the +plant have demonstrated that first-class asparagus can +be produced with far less expense and labor. While a +deep and loose soil produces earlier and better crops +than a heavy and shallow one, indiscriminate deepening +of the soil by trenching or other means is not +always desirable, even where the cost does not come +into consideration. When the subsoil is very light and +poor and deficient in humus, the placing of the better +surface soil below and the infertile lower strata above, +trenching would be a positive detriment. The same +would be the case where the subsoil consists of heavy +impervious clay.</p> + +<p>In the fall preceding planting the land should be +plowed deeply and left in the rough state during the +winter. Subsoiling has often been recommended, yet +practical growers but rarely make use of the subsoil +plow in the preparation of asparagus plantations, +although the value of subsoiling where the subsoil is<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_48" id="Page_48">[Pg 48]</a></span> +heavy can not be doubted. Where stable or barnyard +manure can be had cheaply, and the soil is heavy, a +liberal coat spread broadcast over the surface and left +to the action of the weather during winter will +ameliorate the ground considerably. In most cases, +however, the same object may be obtained by applying +the manure in spring. Joseph Harris mentions a case +in which a bed was plowed and subsoiled in the fall +and the soil filled with manure, while another bed +near by was planted without manure, or extra preparation +of any kind, relying entirely on artificial fertilizers +after planting, and the latter was by far the better bed. +As early in spring as the ground is in suitable condition +to be worked it has to be plowed and harrowed +and brought into as perfect condition as possible.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_49" id="Page_49">[Pg 49]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="VIII" id="VIII"></a>VIII</h2> + +<h3>PLANTING</h3> + +<div class="figleft" style="margin-top: 0.25em;"> +<img src="images/capt.jpg" alt="T" title="T" /></div> +<p><span class="smcap">hroughout</span> the Middle and Northern States, +spring, as soon as the soil can be worked to +good advantage, is decidedly the most favorable +time for planting asparagus. If it is +not practicable to plant thus early, the work may sometimes +be delayed up to the middle of June. In planting +thus late, however, preparation has to be made +for watering the plants in case of drouth, else failure +be inevitable. It is also necessary to do the work as +expeditiously as possible, so as not to expose the roots +to the drying influences of the sun and wind. Fall +planting is advisable only in climates where there is +no danger of winter-killing of the roots.</p> + +<p>After the ground has been plowed and harrowed, +or spaded and raked over, and brought into as mellow +a condition as possible, the rows for planting are to be +laid out. It is usually recommended to have the rows +run north and south, so as to readily admit the sunlight. +When this is not practicable, however, it need +not deter any one from making an asparagus bed, as +it is more important to have the rows run with the +slope of the land than in any particular direction +of the compass, in order to provide ready surface +drainage.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_50" id="Page_50">[Pg 50]</a></span></p> + + +<h4>DISTANCE TO PLANT</h4> + +<p>As to the best distance between the rows and the +plants in the rows there is a wide difference of opinion, +more so than with almost any other cultivated plant. +No unvarying rule can be laid down on this point, as +it depends largely upon the mechanical condition, +depth, and fertility of the soil. In a rich, moderately +heavy soil, the roots may be planted closer than in a +poor, light soil. The tendency of the present day is +for giving the plants considerably more room than +what formerly was thought to be ample. Intelligent +observers could not fail to notice that crowded asparagus +beds produce later and smaller crops, and of +inferior size and quality; that they do not last as long; +and that they are more liable to attacks from insects +and fungi than when more room is given to the plants.</p> + +<p>Gardeners of but a few decades ago had no idea of +the possibility of raising a profitable crop of asparagus +planted four or five feet apart, and would have looked +with derision upon any one advocating so wild a +scheme. The remains of run out, old-time asparagus +beds are still in evidence in many old farm gardens. +The rows in these were originally one foot apart and +the plants in the rows even closer than this, and perhaps +after every third or fourth row there was a path +two feet wide. Of course, in such a bed, after a few +years, the entire ground became a solid mass of roots, +and the stalks became smaller and tougher from year +to year.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_51" id="Page_51">[Pg 51]</a></span></p> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 488px;"> +<img src="images/i60.jpg" width="488" height="480" alt="" title="" /> +<span class="caption">FIG. 14—HORIZONTAL DEVELOPMENT OF A FOUR-YEAR-OLD +ASPARAGUS ROOT</span> +</div> +<p>In most asparagus sections special customs prevail, +and even in these different growers have their individual +preferences; but all agree that asparagus should +never be planted closer than two feet in rows three +feet apart. For the home garden there is no better +plan than to plant but a single row, with the plants +two or three feet apart, along the edge or border of +the ground, but not nearer than four or five feet to +other plants, and in case of grape-vines even more +room should be given. Here they require but little +care, and the plants have an unlimited space for the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_52" id="Page_52">[Pg 52]</a></span> +extension of their roots in search of moisture and food. +Asparagus needs considerable water, and an acre of +land will hold so much water and no more. The more +plants there are on an acre the less water there will be +for each plant, and what is true of water is also true +of plant food.</p> + +<p>In field culture the distance adopted by asparagus +growers varies from 3 x 3 feet (4,840 plants per acre); +3 x 4 feet (3,640 plants per acre); 4 x 4 feet (2,722 +plants per acre); 4 x 5 feet (2,178 plants per acre); +5 x 6 feet (1,452 plants per acre); 6 x 6 feet (1,210 +plants per acre), and even more. If the idea is to +have the plants so far apart that their roots can not +interlace, twenty feet each way would not be too extravagant +a distance, under favorable conditions, as +will readily become apparent by a glance at Fig. 14. +This illustration is an exact reproduction of the root +system of an asparagus plant four years from the +seed. The roots spread out upon a level floor measured +thirteen feet from tip to tip, the single roots +averaging the thickness of a lead pencil. This root +grew in Madison County, Ill., and was washed out of +the ground—without having any of its roots torn—by +the unusually heavy spring rains which caused the Piasa +River to overflow its banks and sent a current rushing +through the asparagus field in which it grew. If the +plant had remained in its position a few years longer +its roots would probably have extended ten feet in each +direction.</p> + +<p>From this it does not follow, however, that asparagus +should be planted twenty or even ten feet apart to +produce the largest returns, but it plainly shows why<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_53" id="Page_53">[Pg 53]</a></span> +the roots should not be planted as closely together as +was customary in former years; and it obviously demonstrates +that when land is cheap and manure and labor +high, asparagus can not be hurt by giving it plenty of +room. It should also be considered that earliness, +size, and quality make a great difference with the price +and profits when early and large shoots are in demand. +It might be possible to get double the number of shoots +per acre from thick than from thin planting, but they +might be so small and spindling as not to be worth the +labor and expense of cutting and marketing.</p> + + +<h4>DEPTH OF PLANTING</h4> + +<p>Contrary to the all but universal belief, asparagus +is not a deep-rooted plant. In the wild state its most +frequent habitat is on the fertile marshes of the shoreline +in Europe, on ground but a few inches above the +tidewater which permeates the sandy subsoil. As the +roots can not live in water, they naturally grow to long +distances parallel with the surface and retain this habit +under cultivation. The tendency of growth in the +asparagus roots in this direction is obviously demonstrated +in Fig. 14.</p> + +<p>The proper depth of planting asparagus roots varies +somewhat, according to the character of the soil, the +method of cultivation, and the kind of spears desired, +whether white or green. As the new crowns rise +somewhat above the old ones annually, it seems but +rational that the plants should have sufficient room for +the new growths before their crowns become even with +the surface of the land. When the crown once comes +near the level of the soil it is impossible to give proper<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_54" id="Page_54">[Pg 54]</a></span> +cultivation, unless the entire bed be raised by adding +soil to the whole surface.</p> + +<p>While it is true that the deeper the crowns are +planted the later they will start in the spring, this is +of account only during the first few years. Besides, +the factor of earliness is not of nearly as much importance +now as it was before northern markets were +so bountifully supplied with the southern grown crops +several months before the opening of the northern +season. Shallow-planted asparagus sprouts earlier, +but soon exhausts itself, sending up spindling, tough +shoots, while the deeper-planted crowns produce large +and succulent sprouts throughout the season. When +green asparagus is desired, and there is no danger of +the beetles eating the sprouts before they are fit for +use, a depth of two or three inches is sufficient, but +for white or blanched asparagus a depth of from eight +to ten inches is necessary.</p> + + +<h4>MANNER OF PLANTING</h4> + +<p>As in other details of asparagus culture, the +methods of planting have undergone very material +changes. The formerly usual practice of digging +deep trenches was not well founded—in the light of +our present experience and knowledge—and could be +useful only for drainage. How little regard was paid +to the nature and requirements of the plant may readily +be perceived by reading the following directions for +making an asparagus bed, but little over half a century +ago, in Bridgeman's "Young Gardeners' Assistant":</p> + +<p>"The ground for the asparagus bed should have a +large supply of well-rotted dung, three or four inches<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_55" id="Page_55">[Pg 55]</a></span> +thick, and then be regularly trenched two spades deep, +and the dung buried equally in each trench twelve or +fifteen inches below the surface. When this trenching +is done, lay two or three inches of thoroughly +rotted manure over the whole surface, and dig the +ground over again eight or ten inches deep, mixing +this top-dressing, and incorporating it well with the +earth.</p> + +<p>"In family gardens it is customary to divide the +ground thus prepared into beds, allowing four feet for +every four rows of plants, with alleys two feet and a +half wide between each bed. Strain your line along +the bed six inches from the edge; then with a spade +cut out a small trench or drill close to the line, about +six inches deep, making that side next to the line nearly +upright; when one trench is opened, plant that before +you open another, placing the plants upright ten or +twelve inches distance in the row, and let every row +be twelve inches apart.</p> + +<p>"The plants must not be placed flat in the bottom +of the trench, but nearly upright against the back of +it, and so that the crown of the plants must also stand +upright, and two or three inches below the surface of +the ground, spreading their roots somewhat regularly +against the back of the trench, and at the same time +drawing a little earth up against them with the +hand as you place them, just to fix the plants in their +due position until the row is planted; when one row +is thus placed, with a rake or hoe draw the earth into +the trench over the plants, and then proceed to open +another drill or trench, as before directed, and fill and +cover it in the same manner, and so on until the whole<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_56" id="Page_56">[Pg 56]</a></span> +is planted; then let the surface of the beds be raked +smooth and clear from stones, etc.</p> + +<p>"Some gardeners, with a view to having extra large +heads, place their plants sixteen inches apart in the +rows instead of twelve, and by planting them in the +quincunx manner—that is, by commencing the second +row eight inches from the end of the first and the +fourth even with the second—the plants will form +rhomboidal squares instead of rectangular ones, and +every plant will thus have room to expand its roots and +leaves luxuriantly."</p> + +<p>In diametrical contradistinction, and as an example +of the very plainest and simplest of modern methods, +Joseph Harris wrote: "If you are going to plant a +small bed in the garden, stretch a line not less than +four feet from any other plant, and with a hoe make +holes along the line, eighteen inches or three feet +apart, four inches deep, and large enough to hold the +plants when the roots are spread out horizontally. +Do not make deep holes straight down in the ground +and stick the roots in as you would a cabbage, but +spread out the roots. After the roots are set out cover +them with fine soil, and that is all there is to it. Then +move the line three feet from the first row and repeat +the planting until the bed is finished. In the field +make the rows with a common corn-marker, three feet +apart each way, and set out a plant where the rows +cross. It is but little more work to plant an acre of +asparagus than an acre of potatoes."</p> + +<p>Between these extreme methods many different +directions for planting asparagus have been given and +practiced. Modern methods have not only greatly<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_57" id="Page_57">[Pg 57]</a></span> +simplified the planting, but have also materially +reduced the expense, increased the crop, and improved +the quality of the product.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 485px;"> +<img src="images/i66.jpg" width="485" height="190" alt="" title="" /> +<span class="caption">FIG. 15—TRENCHES READY FOR PLANTING</span> +</div> + +<p>After the ground has been properly prepared, it is +marked off in parallel rows from three to five or more +feet apart, according to the preferences of the grower. +The easiest way to open these trenches is by plowing a +furrow each way, and, if necessary, going over the +ground a sufficient number of times to make the +furrows from eight to ten inches deep. After this the +loose soil is thrown out with a shovel or a wide hoe, so +as to leave the trenches at a uniform depth of ten to +twelve inches and of the same width at the bottom, as +seen in Fig. 15. By rigging a piece of board on the +mold-board of the plow more soil is thrown out, so that +usually it will not be necessary to go over the ground +oftener than twice. The Messrs. Hudson & Son, of +Long Island, have devised for their own use a +"trencher" (Fig. 16), which with a good team opens +the trench to the desired depth in one operation and +at a great saving of labor.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_58" id="Page_58">[Pg 58]</a></span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 494px;"> +<img src="images/i67.jpg" width="494" height="263" alt="" title="" /> +<span class="caption">FIG. 16—HUDSON'S TRENCHER</span> +</div> + +<p>If the entire ground has been heavily fertilized, +plowing manure in the trenches will not be necessary, +yet many experienced asparagus growers think that +it pays to scatter some fertilizing material into the +trenches before planting. A favorite plan with Long +Island growers is to mix half a ton of ground bone, or +fish scrap, with one hundred pounds of nitrate of soda +per acre, and thoroughly incorporate this mixture with +the soil to a depth of three inches before setting the +plants. Others prefer thoroughly decomposed manure +spread over the bottom of the furrow, to a depth of +about three inches, before setting the plants. Others +prefer thoroughly decomposed manure spread over the +bottom of the furrow, to a depth of about three inches, +and covering it with two inches of fine soil. If the +roots are to be planted four or more feet apart it will +be sufficient to throw a shovelful of manure where the +roots are to be placed. This is then spread out so as to<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_59" id="Page_59">[Pg 59]</a></span> +make a layer of about three inches, which is then +covered with soil.</p> + + +<h4>PLACING THE ROOTS</h4> + +<p>The proper planting of the roots is the most critical +point in asparagus culture, as upon the manner in +which this is performed—more than upon other detail—depends +the success, yield, duration, and profit of the +plantation. Almost any other neglect can be remedied +by after-treatment, but careless and faulty planting, +never. Whatever care and personal attention the +grower may give to this work will be repaid manyfold +in future returns.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 457px;"> +<img src="images/i68.jpg" width="457" height="248" alt="" title="" /> +<span class="caption">FIG. 17—ASPARAGUS ROOT IN PROPER POSITION FOR COVERING</span> +</div> + +<p>As stated before, only strong, healthy one-year-old +plants with three or four strong buds should be used, +so as to insure an even growth over the entire field, +and at every stage of the work great care must be taken +not to expose the roots to the drying influences of sun +and winds. When everything is in readiness for planting, +the roots are placed in the trench, the crown in the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_60" id="Page_60">[Pg 60]</a></span> +center and the rootlets spread out evenly and horizontally, +like the spokes of a wheel, and at once covered +with three inches of fine, mellow soil, which is pressed +around them. If the ground is dry at planting-time it +should be pressed down quite firmly about the roots, so +as to prevent their drying out, and to hasten their +growth.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 479px;"> +<img src="images/i69.jpg" width="479" height="166" alt="" title="" /> +<span class="caption">FIG. 18—CROSS-SECTION OF ASPARAGUS BED AFTER PLANTING</span> +</div> + +<p>To still more insure success it is an excellent plan +to draw up little hills of soil in the bottom of the +trench over which to place the roots with the crowns +resting on the top, thus raising the crowns a few +inches above the extremities of the roots and providing +for them a position similar to what they stood in before +transplanting, as seen in Fig. 17.</p> + +<p>The subsequent covering of the roots can usually +be done with a one-horse plow, from which the mold-board +has been removed, passing down the sides of the +row. This leaves the plants in a depression, the soil +thrown out in opening the rows forming a ridge on +each side, as shown in Fig. 18. This depression will +gradually become filled during the process of cultivation +the succeeding summer.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_61" id="Page_61">[Pg 61]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="IX" id="IX"></a>IX</h2> + +<h3>CULTIVATION</h3> + +<div class="figleft" style="margin-top: 0.25em;"> +<img src="images/capa.jpg" alt="A" title="A" /></div> +<p><span class="smcap">s</span> generally understood, the chief object of +cultivation is to kill weeds. This is an erroneous +idea, however, as the appearance of +weeds serves simply as Nature's reminder of +the necessity of immediate cultivation. On ground +cultivated as thoroughly as it should be for the best +development of the crop there will rarely be any +weeds to kill, as their germs have been destroyed by +the process of cultivation before they could make their +appearance above the ground.</p> + + +<h4>CARE DURING THE FIRST YEAR</h4> + +<p>The cultural work in the asparagus bed during +the first year consists in loosening the soil at frequent +intervals, and especially as soon after rain as the +ground becomes dry enough for cultivation. Frequent +and thorough cultivation is necessary not only to keep +down the weeds, but also to prevent the formation of +a crust on the soil after rain, and to provide a mulch +of loose earth for the retention of moisture. In field +culture the work is best done with a one-horse cultivator +or a wheel-hoe, and on a small scale with a +scuffle-hoe and a rake. As the sprouts grow up +small quantities of fine soil should be drawn into the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_62" id="Page_62">[Pg 62]</a></span> +trenches from time to time, but during the early part +of the season great care must be exercised not to +cover the crowns too deeply.</p> + +<p>Some growers advise to work the soil away instead +of toward the plants, considering the four inches of +soil with which the roots are covered at planting sufficient +for the first year. While this may be true in a +wet or moderately moist summer, in a season of drouth +the additional mulch of mellow soil can not but be +beneficial to the young and tender plants. Especial +care is required when working around the young +sprouts, so as not to cover, break, or in any way +injure any of them.</p> + +<p>In the garden bed it pays to stake the canes when +they are but a foot high, so as to prevent the wind +from disturbing the stools in the soil by swaying the +shoots backward and forward. Careful gardeners +insert stakes for this purpose at the time of planting, +before the roots are covered with soil, so as to guard +against the danger of injuring any of them. The best +material for this tying is raffia, or Cuban bast. In +field culture staking is usually not practicable, partly +on account of the cost, and also because where there +are many plants growing close together they furnish +some mutual protection to one another. The same +end may also be accomplished—partly, at least—by +throwing up a furrow on each side of the rows of +plants. Precautions of this kind are important in +localities exposed to high winds, as their neglect may +often cause greater loss than it would have cost to +provide proper protection.</p> + +<p>Another important work in the asparagus bed<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_63" id="Page_63">[Pg 63]</a></span> +during the first year is to keep close and constant +watch over the asparagus beetle, and at its first +appearance to apply the remedies recommended in the +chapter on injurious insects. Plants deprived of their +foliage at this early stage of their life have but a poor +chance to recover from the loss.</p> + +<p>If it is found that some of the plants have not +started by the middle of June, it is best to replace +them with growing plants of the same age, which +should have been kept in a reserve bed for this purpose. +If this replanting is done carefully, so as not +to mutilate any of the roots, and on a cloudy day, it +is best not to cut back the tops very severely. Unless +a copious rain sets in soon after planting, the roots +have to be heavily watered, after which they will +keep on growing at once without suffering any setback.</p> + +<p>The formerly all but universal practice was to cover +the roots with manure after the stalks had been +removed in the fall for fear of frost injuring or killing +the roots. In sections where winters are very +severe this may still be desirable, as may be seen from +the statement of so keen an observer as Professor J. C. +Whitten, of the Missouri Experiment Station: "Most +writers advise applying dressing of old fine manure +during the growing season when the plants can use it. +In our soil better results are obtained by applying it in +winter. It prevents the soil from running together +and hardening, and also prevents the sprouts from +coming through, as they otherwise often do, too early +in spring, and becoming weakened by subsequent +severe freezing."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_64" id="Page_64">[Pg 64]</a></span></p> + +<p>As the reverse of this plan, M. Godefroy-Lebœuf, +the famous French authority, recommends "to clear +out of the trenches the soil which has fallen into them +from the sides of the mounds, and also remove from +above the stools a portion of that with which they +were covered at the time they were planted—say, to a +depth of one and one-half inches—so that the action of +the frost may open the soil and that the rain may penetrate +and improve it; also that during the first fine +days of spring the sun may warm the surface of the +soil and penetrate as far as the stools. There is no +fear that the action of the frost should hurt the plants. +Asparagus will never freeze as long as the stool is +covered with a layer of soil one and one-half to one +and three-fourth inches in depth."</p> + +<p>If the rows are not less than four feet apart a crop +of some other vegetables may be raised between them. +Beans, dwarf peas, lettuce, beets, or any kinds which +do not spread much, are suitable for the purpose. +These by-products will help considerably toward paying +the cost of cultivating the main crop, besides having +a tendency to keep the soil cool and moist, a condition +of no little importance to the asparagus.</p> + + +<h4>CARE DURING THE SECOND YEAR</h4> + +<p>The treatment of the asparagus plantation during +the second year does not differ materially from that of +the first season after planting. The ground has to be +stirred frequently and kept scrupulously clean, and a +sharp lookout must be kept for the advent of injurious +insects. As soon as berries appear on the tops they +should be stripped off and destroyed, as the ripening<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_65" id="Page_65">[Pg 65]</a></span> +seed absorbs a large share of the nourishment which +ought to go to the development and strengthening of +the crowns which are to produce the following year's +crop.</p> + +<p>Even with the best of care, some plants will die out +from time to time, although the more thoroughly the +ground has been prepared at the time of planting, and +the better the quality of the roots planted, the fewer +failures of this kind will occur. These blank spaces +are not only constant eyesores to the methodical gardener, +but in the course of several years the aggregate +shortage of crops will be considerable, while the amount +of labor and fertilizer will be the same as in a fully +stocked plantation. Therefore, such vacancies should +be filled in the spring, not only of the second year, but +whenever they occur in future seasons.</p> + +<p>The best way to replant these dead or dying roots +is to go over the rows each fall, before the ground +freezes, and drive a stake wherever there is a plant +missing, as in the spring, before the plants have started, +it would be difficult, if not impossible, to indicate the +blank spaces. For replanting in the second year good +strong two-year-old roots should be used. For the +third and future years it is best to raise and keep a +supply of a sufficient number of reserve plants for this +special purpose in a similar manner as is done for +forcing. As early in spring as the season permits +these clumps should be carefully lifted and transferred +to the permanent plantation. For three-year and +older beds good strong three-year-old roots should be +used, as younger ones would have but a poor chance +between two older and well-established clumps.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_66" id="Page_66">[Pg 66]</a></span></p> + + +<h4>CARE DURING THE THIRD AND FUTURE YEARS</h4> + +<p>The third year cutting may begin in a moderate +way, but too much should not be attempted. If all +the conditions of growth have been favorable half a +crop may be cut without injuring the roots, but under +no circumstances should cutting in the third year be +continued for more than three weeks. The general +care of the bed during the third year is similar to that +of the second, with the exception that the soil is +worked more toward the rows, ridging them slightly.</p> + +<p>In the spring of the third and each succeeding +year, as soon as the ground can be worked it should +be plowed between the rows, turning the soil toward +and over the crowns, leaving a dead furrow between +the rows, as seen in Fig. 19. If bleached asparagus +is desired, these ridges over the rows should be twelve +inches higher than the bottom of the dead furrows +between the rows, and when the soil is very light and +sandy a hight of fifteen inches is preferable. For +green asparagus the ridges are left lower, and the +shoots are allowed to grow several inches above the +ground before cutting, provided the asparagus beetle +does not appropriate them sooner.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_67" id="Page_67">[Pg 67]</a></span></p> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 640px;"> +<img src="images/i76.jpg" width="640" height="376" alt="" title="" /> +<span class="caption">FIG. 19—PERSPECTIVE VIEW OF AN ASPARAGUS FIELD PROPERLY RIDGED IN EARLY SPRING +MISSOURI AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION</span> +</div><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_68" id="Page_68">[Pg 68]</a></span></p> +<p>After the furrows are plowed out between the +rows a home-made ridger is used to smooth the ridges +and complete the work. This is formed of two heavy +oak boards shod with tire iron, sloping upward and +backward, attached to a pair of cultivator wheels. +This requires a good team, one horse walking on +either side of the row. On the light soils of Long +Island this implement works to perfection, but on stiff +lands a two-horse disk-wheel cultivator, with two disks +on each side, going astride of each row and throwing +up fresh soil upon the ridge, proves more effective. +The same implements are used for renewing the ridges +during the cutting season, which will be required +about once a week, as the rains beat them down and +the sun bakes a crust upon the top.</p> + +<p>Immediately after the cutting season is over the +ridges are leveled, by plowing a furrow from each side +of the center (Fig. 20), after which the land is harrowed +crosswise until the surface is level and smooth. +As long as practical, surface cultivation should be +given, especially after rains, but usually at this time +the plants make such rapid and vigorous growth that +there will be little time for the work. Their tops and +branches soon fill the entire space and quickly shade +the ground so densely as to keep down weed growth. +Of course, whatever tall weeds may spring up here +and there have to be pulled out by hand.</p> + + +<h4>FALL TREATMENT</h4> + +<p>The fall clearing of the plantation is an important +part of asparagus culture. As soon as the berries are +turning red—but not before—the stalks should be cut +off even with the ground. If left longer the berries +will drop off, their seeds will soon become embedded +in the ground and fill the soil with seedling asparagus +plants, which are about the most obstinate weed in the +asparagus bed. If cut sooner they are not sufficiently +matured, and the roots are deprived of their nourishment. +All the brush should be removed at once to an +open field and burned, so as not to provide lodging-places +for injurious insects and fungi. Some recommend +leaving the seedless plants as a mulch during +the winter, but the possible benefit of this is so insignificant +that it is not worth while to leave them for a +second cleaning in spring, when time is far more +valuable.</p> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_69" id="Page_69">[Pg 69]</a></span></p> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 640px;"> +<img src="images/i78.jpg" width="640" height="420" alt="" title="" /> +<span class="caption">FIG. 20—LEVELING THE RIDGES AFTER THE CUTTING SEASON</span> +</div><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_70" id="Page_70">[Pg 70]</a></span></p> + + +<h4>RENOVATING OLD ASPARAGUS BEDS</h4> + +<p>The principal causes of asparagus beds running out +are that in the first place ten plants are set out in a +space where only one could thrive; then that the ground +is not rich enough and had no proper cultivation; and +last, but not least, that the cutting of the stalks has +been carried to excess. What to do with the old bed +is sometimes a perplexing question, especially when a +place changes hands and the new proprietor has more +progressive ideas than the former one had.</p> + +<p>Let the old bed stay, and set out a new one according +to rational methods. Some years ago the writer +came into possession of an asparagus bed which was +known to be forty years old, and may have been much +older. It was a solid mass of roots without any distinguishable +rows. The spears produced were so small +and tough that the first impulse was to dig up the +roots. But as this proved to be a more formidable +task than was anticipated, another plan was pursued. +In autumn the bed was thickly covered with fine yard +manure. The following spring the bed was marked +out into strips of two feet in width. When the +sprouts appeared those in every alternate strip were +cut clean off during the entire summer, and the others +allowed to grow. In the autumn of the year another<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_71" id="Page_71">[Pg 71]</a></span> +heavy application of manure was given to the entire +bed. The following year but few shoots appeared in +the strips which had been cut all through the summer. +These were treated the same as before, and in the third +year not a sprout appeared in the alleys. The stalks +left for use improved greatly during the first year and +the third year were of good serviceable size and quality, +so that even after the new bed, which had been planted +at the time this experiment was commenced, came into +bearing, the old one was retained for several years +longer. Probably if the vacant strips had been made +three or four feet wide the result would have been +still better. This experience suggests the idea that +the easiest and least expensive way of exterminating +an old asparagus bed is to persistently mow down +all the shoots for a season or two.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_72" id="Page_72">[Pg 72]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="X" id="X"></a>X</h2> + +<h3>FERTILIZERS AND FERTILIZING</h3> + +<div class="figleft" style="margin-top: 0.25em;"> +<img src="images/capa.jpg" alt="A" title="A" /></div> +<p><span class="smcap">sparagus</span> is a gross feeder. There is hardly +another plant in cultivation upon the vitality +of which so great a demand is made. The +cutting of all its sprouts, or shoots, as soon as +they appear above the ground, for several weeks, is +an abnormal and enormous tax upon the plant, which +is thus forced to extra exertion in order to reproduce +itself and perpetuate its kind. Therefore, it should +have the most tender care, and an abundance of nourishing +and readily available food. The earliness, tenderness, +size, and commercial value of the product +depends principally on the rapidity of its growth, and, +as this is materially promoted by the richness of the +soil, it is evident that the plants should receive all the +food they can assimilate during the growing season.</p> + +<p>There is a wide difference of opinion among growers +as to which is the best kind of manure to use. +Whatever the individual preferences may be, there is +this satisfaction to know that no kind of plant food +can come amiss on the asparagus bed, although the +use of some kinds and combinations may be more +economical than others. Formerly animal manures +only were thought to be of any use for asparagus, and +there are still some growers who cling to this opinion. +In recent years, however, there has been a decided +reaction in this regard in some of the principal aspar<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_73" id="Page_73">[Pg 73]</a></span>agus +sections. The objections made against stable +manure are that it is more expensive to handle, that it +is apt to get the land full of weeds, and that it does +not contain sufficient phosphoric acid and potash. At +present many growers use commercial fertilizers exclusively, +convinced that asparagus needs liberal feeding +of potash and more nitrogen than is generally supposed +to be required.</p> + +<p>The composition of 1,000 parts of fresh asparagus +sprouts is, according to Wolff:</p> + +<table width="35%"> +<tr align="center"><td align="left">Water</td> <td>933</td> <td>parts</td></tr> +<tr align="center"><td align="left">Nitrogen</td> <td>3.2</td> <td>"</td></tr> +<tr align="center"><td align="left">Ash</td> <td>5.0</td> <td>"</td></tr> +<tr align="center"><td align="left">Potash</td> <td>1.2</td> <td>"</td></tr> +<tr align="center"><td align="left">Soda</td> <td>0.9</td> <td>"</td></tr> +<tr align="center"><td align="left">Lime</td> <td>0.6</td> <td>"</td></tr> +<tr align="center"><td align="left">Magnesia</td> <td>0.2</td> <td>"</td></tr> +<tr align="center"><td align="left">Phosphoric acid</td> <td>0.9</td> <td>"</td></tr> +<tr align="center"><td align="left">Sulphuric acid</td> <td>0.3</td> <td>"</td></tr> +<tr align="center"><td align="left">Silica</td> <td>0.5</td> <td>"</td></tr> +<tr align="center"><td align="left">Chlorine</td> <td>0.3</td> <td>"</td></tr> +</table> + +<p>This analysis shows very accurately what a given +weight of asparagus abstracts from the soil, but it does +not, and can not, show or even indicate certain indispensable +demands. In this, as in other cases, the +analysis of a crop is a very uncertain guide to its +proper fertilization. It should be clearly understood +by every cultivator of the soil that no rigidly fixed +formulas can be given for any one crop on all soils. +The question of quantity of application and of proportion +must always, in the very nature of the case, +remain more or less a matter of individual experi<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_74" id="Page_74">[Pg 74]</a></span>ment. +The following formula, given by Prof. P. H. +Rolfs, makes a good asparagus fertilizer:</p> + +<table width="40%"> +<tr align="center"><td align="left">Nitrogen</td> <td>4</td> <td>per cent.</td></tr> +<tr align="center"><td align="left">Potash</td> <td>5</td> <td>"</td></tr> +<tr align="center"><td align="left">Available phosphoric acid</td> <td>7</td> <td>"</td></tr> +</table> + +<p>One thousand five hundred pounds of the above +formula should be applied per acre. When possible +apply twenty to forty tons of vegetable material, such +as partially rotted rakings of barnyard manure. +Where such vegetable matter is procurable, the quantity +of nitrogen may be decreased proportionately. If +manure is obtainable, allowance should be made for +the fertilizing elements contained therein.</p> + +<p>An excellent formula for one ton of asparagus fertilizer, +given by Prof. W. F. Massey, consists of:</p> + +<table width="30%"> +<tr><td>200</td> <td align="center">lbs.</td> <td>nitrate of soda</td></tr> +<tr><td>700</td> <td align="center">"</td> <td>cottonseed-meal</td></tr> +<tr><td>800</td> <td align="center">"</td> <td>acid phosphate (13 per cent.)</td></tr> +<tr><td>300</td> <td align="center">"</td> <td>muriate of potash</td></tr> +</table> + +<p>This will yield 4.9 per cent. ammonia, 6.1 per cent. +available phosphoric acid, 8.4 per cent. potash.</p> + +<p>The effects of the application of a scientifically +balanced fertilizer ration upon asparagus is clearly +illustrated in Fig. 21, which presents a photographic +reproduction of an experimental plat of the North +Carolina State Horticultural Society at Southern +Pines, N. C., fertilized with</p> + +<table width="21%"> +<tr><td>250</td> <td align="center">lbs.</td> <td>nitrate of soda</td></tr> +<tr><td>400</td> <td align="center">"</td> <td>acid phosphate</td></tr> +<tr><td>160</td> <td align="center">"</td> <td>muriate of potash</td></tr> +</table> + +<p>per acre, while Fig. 22 shows a plat of equal size +which remained unfertilized.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_75" id="Page_75">[Pg 75]</a></span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 640px;"> +<img src="images/i84.jpg" width="640" height="385" alt="" title="" /> +<span class="caption">FIG. 21—NORTH CAROLINA'S EXPERIMENT FARM ASPARAGUS PLOT; FERTILIZED</span> +</div><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_76" id="Page_76">[Pg 76]</a></span></p> + +<p>The following table gives the amounts of different +fertilizer materials necessary to give the desired quantity +of each element:</p> + +<table width="60%"> +<tr><th align="center"><i>Element</i></th> <th><i>Pounds of different materials for one acre</i></th></tr> +<tr><td align="center" rowspan="4">Nitrogen</td> <td>800 to 1,000 lbs. cottonseed-meal; or</td></tr> +<tr> <td>350 to 400 " nitrate of soda; or</td></tr> +<tr> <td>275 to 300 " sulphate of ammonia; or</td></tr> +<tr> <td>400 to 600 " dried blood.</td></tr> +<tr><td></td><td></td></tr> +<tr><td></td><td></td></tr> +<tr><td></td><td></td></tr> +<tr><td align="center" rowspan="3">Potash</td> <td>300 to 500 lbs. kainit; or</td></tr> +<tr> <td>150 lbs. muriate of potash; or</td></tr> +<tr> <td>150 to 300 lbs. sulphate of potash</td></tr> +<tr><td></td><td></td></tr> +<tr><td></td><td></td></tr> +<tr><td></td><td></td></tr> +<tr><td align="center" rowspan="2">Phosphoric acid</td> <td>750 to 1,000 lbs. acid phosphate; or</td></tr> +<tr><td>600 to 800 dissolved bone.</td></tr> +</table> + +<p>"Asparagus requires very heavy manuring, and +yet its composition would not indicate it," writes Mr. +Charles V. Mapes. "The explanation is found in the +fact that it must grow very rapidly, otherwise it is +tough, stringy and flavorless, the same as with radishes. +If it had a long season to grow in, like timothy hay, it +might grow successfully in very poor soil. A half ton +of timothy hay contains about as much plant food, and +in similar proportions, as two thousand bunches of +asparagus, or five thousand quarts of strawberries, and +yet while this quantity of hay will grow on an acre of +almost any poor soil, the strawberries or asparagus for +a fair crop per acre require a rich garden soil. If the +hay were obliged to make as rapid growth as the +asparagus, then it also would require rich soil. With +the strawberry there is but the lapse of a few weeks +from the time of blossoming to the full development of +its fruit. The plants need a superabundance of plant +food within easy reach, otherwise the fruit is small and +inferior. The plant can not bear profitable fruit and +at the same time be compelled to struggle for existence. +The same is the case with asparagus. Neither +of these crops can take up out of the soil all the +fertilizer that needs to be applied for their successful +growth, and therefore there is necessarily a large +quantity of plant food unused and left over in the +soil."</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_77" id="Page_77">[Pg 77]</a></span></p> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 640px;"> +<img src="images/i86.jpg" width="640" height="375" alt="" title="" /> +<span class="caption">FIG. 22—NORTH CAROLINA EXPERIMENT FARM ASPARAGUS PLOT; UNFERTILIZED</span> +</div><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_78" id="Page_78">[Pg 78]</a></span></p> + +<p>For these reasons, asparagus, while not necessarily +an exhaustive crop, requires heavy manuring. One +ton of high grade vegetable manure is none too much +per acre, and is small, particularly in the expense, as +compared with the larger quantities of stable manure +per acre, as recommended by some successful growers. +As already stated, formerly it was thought necessary +to place large quantities of manure in the bottom of +the deep trenches in which the young plants were set +out, in order that sufficient fertility might be present +for several years for the roots, as after the plants were +once planted there would be no further opportunity to +apply the manure in such an advantageous place. +This theory has been found erroneous and the practice +has been demonstrated to be rather a waste than otherwise, +and besides the roots of asparagus thrive better +when resting upon a more compact soil; nor is it +necessary that the soil should contain great amounts of +humus, or be in an extremely fertile condition when +the plants are first put out, since by the system of top-dressing +a moderately fertile soil soon becomes exceed<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_79" id="Page_79">[Pg 79]</a></span>ingly +rich and equal to the demands which the plants +make upon it.</p> + +<p>The plan of top-dressing beds during the fall or +early winter is gradually giving way to the more +rational mode of top-dressing in the spring or summer. +It was believed that autumn dressing strengthened the +roots and enabled them to throw up stronger shoots +during the following spring. This is a mistake, however. +In the Oyster Bay region formerly all manuring +was done in the spring, but the practice of applying +all fertilizers immediately after the cutting is finished +is rapidly increasing. The reason for this is found in +the fact that, during the growth of the stalks, after the +cutting season is over, the crowns form the buds from +which the spears of next season spring, and it is probable +that it is principally during this period that the +roots assimilate and store up the materials which produce +these spears. This being true, the plant food +added to the soil and becoming available after the +cessation of vegetation in the autumn can have little, +if any, effect upon the spears which are cut for market +the following spring; it first becomes of use to the +plant after the crop has been cut and the stalks allowed +to grow. Thus the manuring of the autumn of 1901 +will not benefit the grower materially until the spring +of 1903.</p> + +<p>Nevertheless, some highly successful asparagus +raisers continue to apply fertilizers in the spring, as +evidenced by the following directions given by one of +the most prominent growers in the Oyster Bay district. +"After the roots have been set in the drill, put +enough soil on them to cover about two inches.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_80" id="Page_80">[Pg 80]</a></span> +Then sow about 500 pounds of high grade potato +fertilizer per acre in the drill. As the weeds commence +to grow, cultivate and hoe, letting the soil cave +down in the drill. About the middle of the season +sow about 500 pounds more of fertilizer in the drill. +Continue to cultivate and hoe the remainder of the season. +At the end of the season the drill should be +entirely filled up. The second year sow about 2,000 +pounds of fertilizer per acre broadcast, plow the ground +and harrow it down level, and keep the ground clean. +The third year open the drill over the asparagus with +a one-horse plow, broadcast 2,000 pounds of fertilizer +per acre about the time the shoots begin to show, +and back-furrow it up with a plow over the drill to form +a ridge. Then smooth the ridge down with a home-made +implement resembling a snow-plow reversed. +Cut every morning all the shoots that show through +the ground. Do not cut more than four weeks in the +first cutting season. Continue to broadcast 2,000 +pounds of fertilizer per acre every year."</p> + +<p>From what has been said in regard to the various +methods of applying fertilizers to asparagus, it will be +readily understood that it can make but little difference +how it is distributed, whether on the rows, between +the rows, or broadcast, so long as enough of it +is put on the land. In an established asparagus bed +the entire ground is a dense network of roots, and +wherever the fertilizer is put some of the roots will +find it, but not those of the plants over the crowns of +which it has been planted; not more so than the feeding +roots of an apple tree can reach a heap of manure +piled around its trunk.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_81" id="Page_81">[Pg 81]</a></span></p> + + +<h4>SALT AS A FERTILIZER</h4> + +<p>Salt is but little used now by commercial asparagus +growers, though it has been recommended for this +crop from time immemorial. About the principal advantage +to be derived from its use is that of killing +weeds without injuring asparagus, although it may be +applied in sufficient quantities to injure the asparagus. +The indirect fertilizing value of salt is mainly due to +the fact that it has the power of changing unavailable +forms of plant food into available forms; but this +object may be secured cheaper and better by the use +of kainit. In sandy soils it may encourage the supply +of moisture, but on naturally moist and retentive soils +heavy dressings of salt may do more harm than good.</p> + +<p>Much of the benefits to asparagus for which salt +gets credit is its use in a small way in the home +garden, due to the fact that not dry salt, but the brine +and residue of the pork and corned beef barrels is +applied to the asparagus beds. This brine is rich in +animal matter extracted from the meat, and usually +also in saltpeter, which has been used in pickling. +The latter substance alone, without the addition of +salt, exerts a strong fertilizing effect upon the plants.</p> + +<p>After a series of carefully conducted experiments +by Mr. Charles V. Mapes, he writes:</p> + +<p>"Salt was only effectual as a fertilizer in proportion +as the soil contained accumulated supplies of +plant food, either from previous manurings or from +natural strength. Asparagus, unlike nearly all other +crops, will stand almost unlimited quantities of salt +without injury. It also thrives near the seashore,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_82" id="Page_82">[Pg 82]</a></span> +and it was therefore generally believed that liberal +quantities of salt were a necessity to its successful +growth. Experience has shown, however, that its +presence is not at all necessary for its growth, and +that the reason that a bed to which salt has been +applied shows quickened and improved growth is that +the salt dissolves out of the soil plant food which, +without the presence of the salt, would have become +too slowly reduced to available condition for producing +good crops. The salt acted practically as a stimulant +and added nothing except chlorine and soda, neither +of which in any considerable quantity is essential for +growing this crop. It is this dissolving action that +takes place in the soil whenever any soluble salt or +fertilizer, like kainit, potash salts, acid phosphates, +etc., be applied to the soil, that is often mistaken for +a manuring one. The result is an exhaustion, not a +strengthening, of the soil. The crop is grown at the +expense of the limited supply of food that the soluble +salt can act upon. The fertilizer has acted practically +as a stimulant."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_83" id="Page_83">[Pg 83]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="XI" id="XI"></a>XI</h2> + +<h3>HARVESTING AND MARKETING</h3> + +<div class="figleft" style="margin-top: 0.25em;"> +<img src="images/capt.jpg" alt="T" title="T" /></div> +<p><span class="smcap">he</span> chief labor in asparagus culture is the cutting +and bunching. As it is of the greatest +importance that the work be done promptly +and expeditiously, it is desirable to have +more help than is wanted merely for the asparagus, +and then, when the asparagus is ready for market, +they can go to hoeing and tilling other crops. Five +acres in full bearing will require from six to eight +men from four to six hours per day to do the cutting +and three or four to do the bunching. A successful +farmer in western New York, who has four acres of +asparagus, employs eight or ten boys and girls, for +from three to six hours per day, to do the cutting +and three women to bunch it. The women are paid by +the bunch, and work five to ten hours per day. Piecework, +if properly done, is nearly always cheaper than +day work, and is better for the employés and the employer.</p> + + +<h4>CUTTING</h4> + +<p>As has been stated in a previous chapter, cutting +should not begin until the plants have become strong +and vigorous, which requires two or three years from +the planting. In the latitude of New York City the +cutting season commences usually the last week in +April and closes July 10th, although but few growers<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_84" id="Page_84">[Pg 84]</a></span> +cut after the 1st, particularly if the season has been +a favorable one. Except on old and well-established +plantings, cutting should not extend for more than six +or seven weeks. Some growers cut asparagus as long +as it pays to ship, regardless of the damage done to the +plants. The old rule to discontinue cutting asparagus +when green peas are abundant is a safe one to follow, +especially in the home garden. Unlike other crops, +about as much can be cut each day, or at each cutting, +as the day before, during the season, varying only +according to the weather.</p> + +<p><i>Manner of cutting.</i>—The mode of cutting asparagus +varies according to the requirements of the markets, +whether green or white stalks are desired. Whatever +individual preferences may be, the fact is that in +New York City, and some other large market centers, +75 per cent. of the asparagus sold is white or blanched, +and it would be useless to try to persuade the buyers +to take any other. To show how extreme the convictions +are in this matter of taste, we quote from +Prof. J. F. C. Du Pre, of the Clemson Agricultural +College: "Why any one should prefer the almost +tasteless, insipid white to the green 'grass,' into +which the sunshine has put the flavor of ambrosia, +is beyond my comprehension." On the other hand, +Lebœuf, the famous asparagus expert of Argenteuil, +writes: "Properly blanched asparagus is infinitely +more tender and delicate than green. To serve up +green asparagus is to dishonor the table."</p> + +<p>In recent years a compromise has been made between +the two styles. By allowing the tops of the +hilled-up sprouts to grow four inches above the sur<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_85" id="Page_85">[Pg 85]</a></span>face, +the upper half of the stalk is green while the +lower half remains white.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 469px;"> +<img src="images/i94.jpg" width="469" height="322" alt="" title="" /> +<span class="caption">FIG. 23—BASKET OF ASPARAGUS READY FOR THE BUNCHING +SHED</span> +</div> + +<p>For green asparagus the sprouts are cut when six +or seven inches high, and then only so far below the +surface as to furnish a stalk about nine inches long. +For the white style the rows have to be ridged twelve +inches above the crowns, and the stalks are cut as soon +as the tops show above the ground, the cutting off +being eight or nine inches below the surface.</p> + +<p>Whichever method is followed, it is very important +to cut every day during the season, and to cut +clean at each cutting, taking all the small sprouts as +well as the large ones. If the weak and spindling +shoots are allowed to grow they will draw away the +strength from the roots, to the injury of the crop.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_86" id="Page_86">[Pg 86]</a></span></p> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 640px;"> +<img src="images/i95.jpg" width="640" height="418" alt="" title="" /> +<span class="caption">FIG. 24—CUTTING AND PICKING UP ASPARAGUS IN A TEN-ACRE FIELD OF C. W. +PRESCOTT, MIDDLESEX COUNTY, MASS.</span> +</div><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_87" id="Page_87">[Pg 87]</a></span></p> +<p>When cutting, the sprout is taken in the left hand +and the knife run down close alongside of it to the +proper depth, carefully avoiding other spears that are +just beginning to push up all around the crown. +Then the handle of the knife is moved away from +the stalk, to give it the proper slant, the knife shoved +down so as to sever the stalk with a tapering cut, +and at the same time the stalk is pulled out. After +cutting, the asparagus should be removed out of the +sun as soon as possible to prevent its wilting and +discoloring. Usually this is done by dropping the +stalks in a basket which, when full (Fig. 23), is +carried to the bunching shed. On large plantations, +however, the cutters leave the stalks on the ground to +be picked up by boys following closely, as seen in +Fig. 24. To facilitate the picking up and carrying +away, horse carriers are used, as shown in Fig. 25.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 472px;"> +<img src="images/i96.jpg" width="472" height="192" alt="" title="" /> +<span class="caption">FIG. 25—HORSE CARRIER FOR TEN BOXES OF ASPARAGUS</span> +</div> + +<p>In some sections of Europe, especially at the famous +asparagus regions of Argenteuil, a knife is never used. +According to W. Robinson: "The slightly hardened +crust around the emerging bud and on top of the little +mound is pushed aside, the fore and middle finger<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_88" id="Page_88">[Pg 88]</a></span> +separated are then thrust deeply into the soft soil, +pushing the earth outwards. If a rising shoot be met +with on the way down, it is carefully avoided. A +second plunge of the two fingers and pushing out of +the earth usually brings them to the hardened ground +about the crest of the root; the forefinger is then +slipped behind the base of the shoot fit to gather, and +rushed gently outward, when the shoot at once snaps +clean off its base. This plan has the advantage of +leaving no mutilated shoots or decaying matter on the +ground. Once gathered, care is taken that the shoot +is not exposed to the light, but placed at once in a +covered basket. As soon as the stalk is gathered, the +earth is gently and loosely drawn up with the hand, so +as to leave the surface of the mound as it was before, +not pressing the earth in any way, but keeping it quite +free. The shoots are not rubbed or cleaned in any +way—it would disfigure them, and they do not require +it."</p> + +<p><i>Knives.</i>—There are several styles of knives for cutting +asparagus, but an ordinary ten-inch butcher-knife +with the point cut square off, leaving the end +about an inch and a quarter wide and ground sharp +like a chisel, answers the purpose as well as any of the +implements made especially for the purpose. Another +serviceable tool for cutting asparagus is a carpenter's +thin firmer-chisel, one and one-half inches wide, nearly +flat, and the thinnest that can be obtained ground on +the convex side or back, about an inch from the end, +which should be rounded off on the inside to prevent +them from injuring sprouts near by. Other styles of +asparagus knives are seen in Fig. 26.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_89" id="Page_89">[Pg 89]</a></span></p> + + +<h4>SORTING AND BUNCHING</h4> + +<p>In some local markets asparagus is sold loose, by +weight, in which case but little regard is paid to the +size and length and color of the stalks, nor to the style +of packing. This is the most profitable way for the +grower to sell, as it saves him all the expense and labor +of bunching, and as even the smallest stalks are thus +salable, there is no waste whatever, while the prices +obtained are about the same as those for first-class +bunches—that is, two pounds of loose asparagus sell +for about the same price as a full-sized bunch. But in +city markets asparagus could hardly be sold in such a +condition, and it is of first importance that it should +be carefully graded and neatly bunched.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 473px;"> +<img src="images/i98.jpg" width="473" height="297" alt="" title="" /> +<span class="caption">FIG. 26—VARIOUS ASPARAGUS KNIVES</span> +</div> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_90" id="Page_90">[Pg 90]</a></span></p> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 457px;"> +<img src="images/i99.jpg" width="457" height="312" alt="" title="" /> +<span class="caption">FIG. 27—END AND SIDE VIEW OF PRIME WHITE ASPARAGUS +BUNCHES</span> +</div> + +<p><i>Sorting.</i>—Careful growers assort into three sizes: +extras, primes, and seconds. The size and weight of +the bunches vary somewhat in different markets. +Bunches varying from six to twelve inches in length +are received at wholesale centers, but the most convenient +and popular size for a bunch of prime white +asparagus is eight and one-half inches long, averaging +thirty spears, and weighing two pounds. The side +view of one and the end view of three bunches of this +size of white asparagus are shown in Fig. 27. To +assure uniformity some ingenious contrivances have +been invented, most of which are a great improvement +over the old-time bunchers, consisting merely of a board +with four pins, six inches long, and placed about four +inches apart each way, to form a square. Two strings, +usually of bast matting, were laid down on the board, +which was set on a bench up against the wall, or had +a back made of another board tacked on it at right +angles. The asparagus was laid on the buncher be<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_91" id="Page_91">[Pg 91]</a></span>tween +the pins, the tops touching the back or wall to +keep them even. When the bunch was large enough +the strings were tied firmly, and the butt end of the +bunch cut square.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 316px;"> +<img src="images/i100.jpg" width="316" height="372" alt="" title="" /> +<span class="caption">FIG. 28—CONOVER'S ASPARAGUS BUNCHER</span> +</div> + +<p><i>Bunchers.</i>—The modern bunchers are constructed +of cast iron and are easily handled. One of the first to +come into use was Conover's (Fig. 28). The principle +of the operation is that the stalks are placed between +two brass strips, a hinged cover is brought down by +means of a lever and held in place until the strings are +tied. Two ties should be used, one placed about two +inches from either end. The bunch must be tied so +tightly that it will not loosen in handling and transportation +to market. The Watt's Buncher (Fig. 29), +used extensively in New Jersey, is so arranged that the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_92" id="Page_92">[Pg 92]</a></span> +arms may be adjusted to any size bunch desired by +simply loosening the bolts at either end, and pulling +out the arms so as to fit the shape of the bunch, and +thus both ends can be bunched properly. The style +of buncher and knives in favor with growers in the +famous asparagus region near Concord, Mass., are seen +in Fig. 30, and the process of bunching in Fig. 31.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 347px;"> +<img src="images/i101.jpg" width="347" height="247" alt="" title="" /> +<span class="caption">FIG. 29—WATT'S ASPARAGUS BUNCHER</span> +</div> + +<p><i>Tying materials.</i>—Twine, Cuban bast, sisal, and +various other materials are used for tying, but nothing +is better for this purpose than raffia fiber. This is +obtained from the raffia or rofia palm, a native of the +island of Madagascar. The tree sends enormous +branches from near the ground, the pinnate leaves of +which produce this fiber. One palm frond will produce +eighty to one hundred long, green leaflets from two to +five feet in length, and from this the fiber is prepared. +"Silk lamba" is also a product of this palm. Raffia +fiber is now extensively used for tying up plants, for +grafting, and many other purposes, as it is very strong, +as soft as silk, and is not affected by moisture or<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_93" id="Page_93">[Pg 93]</a></span> +changes of temperature, and it does not break or ravel +when folded or knotted.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 477px;"> +<img src="images/i102.jpg" width="477" height="480" alt="" title="" /> +<span class="caption">FIG. 30—RACK AND KNIVES USED IN NEW ENGLAND</span> +</div> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_94" id="Page_94">[Pg 94]</a></span></p> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 480px;"> +<img src="images/i103.jpg" width="480" height="315" alt="" title="" /> +<span class="caption">FIG. 31—AT THE BUNCHING TABLE</span> +</div> + +<p><i>Rubber bands.</i>—The use of rubber bands for fastening +asparagus bunches has recently been found to have +some advantages not possessed by other materials. +Prof. W. J. Green, of the Ohio Experiment Station, +writes in Bulletin No. 9: "The work can be done +more rapidly and better. The saving in time is fully +one-third, which will pay for the increased cost of +rubber over string, reckoning wages at seventy-five<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_95" id="Page_95">[Pg 95]</a></span> +cents per day. This difference might be less where +expert tyers are employed, or very low rates per +hundred bunches are paid. In any case, the work can +be done in a manner that is much more satisfactory to +dealers with rubber than with string. This is owing +to the fact that rubber holds the bunches intact, while +string allows them to fall apart and to become unsightly. +Doubtless, in some cases, dealers would be willing to +pay more for bunches fastened with rubber than for +those put up in the ordinary manner. Even though +no difference is made in price for asparagus put up by +the two methods, the bunches fastened with rubber +bands sell more readily than those tied with string.</p> + +<p>"Rubber bands can be bought for two dollars per +pound, and the size best adapted to the purpose run +about two thousand bands per pound, or sufficient for +one thousand bunches. This makes rubber bands +cost about two cents per dozen bunches more than +string, if the saving in labor is not taken into consideration.</p> + +<p>"The saving in the item of labor depends, of +course, upon the kind of labor employed. In determining +the relative value of the two methods not only +must cost of labor be taken into consideration, but the +character of the market as well. When competition is +not strong careful bunching is not a matter of great +importance, but in many markets it is essential that +the bunches be put up in such a manner that they will +not fall apart. In such cases rubber bands will more +than pay for their extra cost, by insuring more ready +sales, if not by increasing the price.</p> + +<p>"The method employed in bunching with rubber<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_96" id="Page_96">[Pg 96]</a></span> +bands is to slip a band over an ordinary teacup—one +with straight sides and without a handle; fill the cup +with asparagus shoots, the heads downward, and then +slip the band from the cup to the bunch. This makes +a bunch of about the right size, and gives the upper +end a nicely rounded appearance. All that remains to +be done is to slip on another band and to square the +butts with a sharp knife. Possibly a metallic cup +would answer better, being thinner, but a teacup is +not objectionable in this particular. If smaller bunches +are desired than the smallest cup that can be found, it +is not necessary to fill the cup."</p> + + +<h4>MARKETING</h4> + +<p>During the entire process of cutting, sorting, +bunching, and packing great care must be exercised +not to bruise or in any way injure the heads, as the +gummy juice of these soon heats and spoils the whole. +They should also be kept cool and dry, else the moisture +causes decay. Of course if, when cutting, the +ground is wet, some of the soil will adhere to the +lower ends of the stalks; this has to be rinsed off in +clean water, but not by immersing the entire stalk.</p> + +<p>If the bunches are to be kept over night, before +packing, the butts should be dipped in clean water +and stood on end on a cold cellar bottom, or upon +grass or hay that has been thoroughly wet; but the +crowns, or the green portions of the sprouts, should +never be sprinkled or wet. It is a common practice to +set the bunches in shallow pans containing water, but +this is apt to give a bitter taste to the stalks.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_97" id="Page_97">[Pg 97]</a></span></p> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 476px;"> +<img src="images/i106.jpg" width="476" height="453" alt="" title="" /> +<span class="caption">FIG. 32—BOX OF GIANT ASPARAGUS READY FOR SHIPMENT</span> +</div> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 320px;"> +<img src="images/i107top.jpg" width="320" height="175" alt="" title="" /> +<span class="caption">FIG. 33—SOUTHERN ASPARAGUS CRATE, CONTAINING 24 +BUNCHES OF GREEN ASPARAGUS</span> +</div> <div class="figcenter" style="width: 320px;"> +<img src="images/i107bottom.jpg" width="320" height="195" alt="" title="" /> +<span class="caption">FIG. 34—END PIECE OF SOUTHERN CRATE</span> +</div> + +<p><i>Crates.</i>—There is no standard shape or size of +crates for shipping asparagus, and in the wholesale +markets of New York City a great variety of styles is +found. Of late ordinary twenty-four or thirty-two +quart berry crates have come into favor with near by +growers, as they are cheap, light, and easily handled. +In these the bunches are laid down flat, in tiers, alternating +the butt ends so that when the crates are full +the top row is level with the cover. Some growers, +of very fine asparagus even, use solid wooden boxes. +Fig. 32 shows such a box containing three dozen +bunches. A crate with the top a few inches narrower<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_98" id="Page_98">[Pg 98]</a></span> +than the bottom has the advantage that it holds the +bunches more firmly together than straight-sided +boxes. Fig. 33 shows a crate containing two dozen +bunches of green asparagus ready for shipment, with +the exception of the slats to be nailed on the side. +Fig. 34 shows the shape of the end pieces. These +crates are made of various sizes, according to the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_99" id="Page_99">[Pg 99]</a></span> +length of the bunches. The crate here illustrated was +24 inches long, 12 inches high, 19 inches wide at the +bottom, and 14-<sup>1</sup>/<sub>2</sub> inches at the top, inside measurement. +The end boards were <sup>7</sup>/<sub>8</sub> of an inch thick, and +the slats about half an inch.</p> + +<p>In shipping to a distant market some thoroughly +wet grass, or sphagnum moss, should be put in the +bottom of the crate, the bunches stood on ends, butt +down, and pressed so tightly together that they can +not move or shift in handling. The crate should have +a tight bottom and ends. The sides may be tight half +way up, and the rest of the sides and the top should +be slatted. This keeps the butts moist and the tops +dry and cool.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_100" id="Page_100">[Pg 100]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="XII" id="XII"></a>XII</h2> + +<h3>FORCING</h3> + +<div class="figleft" style="margin-top: 0.25em;"> +<img src="images/capt.jpg" alt="T" title="T" /></div> +<p><span class="smcap">he</span> forcing of asparagus in various methods has +been practiced for centuries, and is rapidly +developing into an important industry. The +forcing may be done in any place where a +temperature of 50° to 60° can be secured, in the greenhouse, +hotbed, pit, cellar, or in the garden and field. +Whichever plan is pursued, the management of the +plants to be forced is the same. The roots should not +be less than three years old, and, if obtainable, four or +five-year-old plants are to be preferred. These may be +dug up from ordinary out-of-door plantations, or, if +the forcing is to be done on a large scale and as a permanent +industry, the plants have to be grown from +seed for this special purpose. To keep up a continuous +succession new sowings have to be made every +year. The sowing of the seed and the management +of the plants during the first year is the same as +described in <a href="#V">Chapter V</a>.</p> + +<p>The following year, as early as the season permits, +the one-year-old seedlings are planted out in rows, to develop +as much strength as possible. As the plants are to +remain only two years in the nursery bed, they may be +placed closer than in a permanent plantation. A distance +of two and one-half feet between the rows and one +foot in the rows is, however, the narrowest limit, and,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_101" id="Page_101">[Pg 101]</a></span> +where enough ground is available, three by one and +one-half or two feet would be still better. By purchasing +one-year-old plants a year's time may be +gained, but otherwise there are decided advantages in +raising one's own plants. During the following two +seasons the ground has to be kept in the best possible +tilth, and at the end of the third season from seed the +roots may be dug just before the ground is likely to +freeze. In lifting the roots it is important not to expose +them to the drying influence of the sun and air +more than is unavoidable. It is also important to preserve +the entire clump intact with as much soil adhering +to the roots and crown as possible. They are +then placed in a shed, pit, or cool cellar, and covered +with sand or soil to prevent their drying out. Moderate +freezing does not injure the roots, and some +growers think that it even adds to their forcing value.</p> + + +<h4>FORCING IN THE GREENHOUSE</h4> + +<p>With florists the forcing of asparagus has this important +advantage: that the income obtained from it is +nearly all gain, as the space under the benches, which +may thus be utilized, is of but little use for other purposes. +If the floor under the benches is soil this is +dug out so as to form a pit about a foot deep, or at +least a few inches deeper than the clumps are high. +Three or four inches of good rich soil is scattered over +the bottom, and upon this the clumps are placed close +together. Dry, mellow soil is then scattered between +and over the clumps, so that the crowns are covered +one or two inches, and given a thorough watering. If +blanched shoots are desired, the crowns will have to be<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_102" id="Page_102">[Pg 102]</a></span> +covered with six or eight inches of soil. The same +object may be obtained by shutting off the light, which +can easily be accomplished under greenhouse benches. +Where it is not practicable to make excavations under +the benches, a pit may be constructed by placing +boards against the posts and filling in the space thus +furnished. To secure a succession, new roots from +the reserve stock have to be planted every three or +four weeks.</p> + +<p>For the first week or ten days after placing the +roots in the forcing-pit they should be kept rather cool, +so as to give them a chance to become established. A +temperature of 45° to 50° is best, at first. Afterward +it should be raised to 55° to 60°, and during the day +it may rise as high as 80° to 85°. But, as a rule, very +high temperatures induce a spindling growth. During +the entire forcing process asparagus requires a large +amount of water, but unless it has the chill taken off, +and ample means for drainage are provided, it may do +far more harm than good. The interval between the +time of planting and the first cutting varies greatly, +according to the temperature and other conditions.</p> + +<p>The following are actual dates of asparagus forcing +under benches at Cornell University: Plants taken +from an old patch November 29th and set under +benches three days later. December 4th, shoots just +pushing through. December 8th, first shoots cut, +averaging nine inches long. December 14th, first good +cutting, shoots running from six to fifteen inches long. +December 18th, second good cutting. December 26th, +a good cutting, some of the shoots having remained +too long and become woody; some of these shoots were<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_103" id="Page_103">[Pg 103]</a></span> +two feet long. January 10th, a heavy cutting. January +19th, cut about half as many shoots as on the 10th. +January 30th, cut about as much as on the 19th, but +shoots growing smaller. February 10th, small cutting +of weak shoots. Beyond this time there were no +shoots worth cutting.</p> + + +<h4>FORCING IN HOTBEDS AND FRAMES</h4> + +<p>The forcing of asparagus in hotbeds does not differ +materially from that in the greenhouse, except in the +supply of heat. "A most suitable place for forcing +asparagus," writes William Scott, in <i>Garden and Forest</i>, +"is a frame about four feet deep with one-fourth inch +hot-water pipe running around it. About two and +one-half feet of fresh stable litter should be put into +the frame and firmly packed, with an inch or two of +sand spread over it. This bed should be allowed to +stand until the heat of the manure has declined +to about 70°, and not below 65°, before the crowns +are placed on it. For this work advantage should +be taken of a day when the weather is mild, as +the crowns are easily damaged by frost. Large crowns +five or six years old are preferable to smaller ones for +forcing. They may be placed rather closely together +in the frame, but the distance apart must be regulated +by their size. The roots should be spread evenly over +the surface and covered with six inches of sand. Little +water will be required, as the steam from the manure +affords considerable moisture; but if the bed should +become dry, it may be moistened with water of the +same temperature as the soil in the frame. A little +air may be admitted, when the day is bright and warm,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_104" id="Page_104">[Pg 104]</a></span> +to keep the temperature from rising above 80°. +When the points of the shoots begin to appear above +the sand the crop is ready to cut. When ground is +plentiful, a supply of forcing crowns can be kept +up by sowing a little seed every year, having five +or six successions, the oldest plants being forced for +cutting."</p> + +<p>With French gardeners it is customary to plunge +the frames in warm stable manure and place the roots +directly in the manure, packed as closely together as +possible. A mere sprinkling of soil is placed over +them. As a result the shoots come up very thick. +Only strong, fine three-year-old roots are used, and +as many as five crops of roots follow each other through +the autumn, winter, and spring in the same frame. +Straw mats are used to cover the frames at night.</p> + + +<h4>FORCING IN THE FIELD</h4> + +<p>Forcing asparagus where it is grown in the field +has a twofold advantage over removing the roots to a +warm place. First, it saves the trouble and expense of +transplanting them, which must be done with much +care; and, second, it saves the plants from being ruined +by the forcing process. Plants forced in the field +where they grow will, if given good care, regain their +vigor in a season or two, and may be used again for +forcing. By this latter method a better quality and a +larger quantity of marketable asparagus is also secured.</p> + +<p>Various means have been devised to force asparagus +in the field, where it is so well established that it +continues growth in the summer as though it had not +been forced the previous winter. A simple and rather<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_105" id="Page_105">[Pg 105]</a></span> +common method of accomplishing this is to place +barrels over clumps of asparagus very early in the +spring and pile fermenting manure about them, the +warmth from the manure forcing the shoots into rapid +growth. When the forcing season is over and the +danger from frost is past the barrels are removed, and +the plants continue growth in the open air. Sometimes +asparagus is forced by placing frames, covered +with sash, over the plants in the field, the rows of +asparagus being set rather close together. This is +considered a very profitable method by many market +gardeners. Another method of forcing asparagus in +the field is to dig ditches between the rows and fill +them with fermenting manure. The surface of the +bed may also be mulched with manure. The latter +plan is extensively practiced by French market +gardeners.</p> + +<p>At the beginning of November the pathways +between the beds of asparagus are dug up about two +feet in depth and width. The soil coming from the +pathway is divided very carefully and put about eight +inches thick on the surface of the bed. The trench is +filled up with fresh stable manure, not litter, and +frames are placed on the bed. The manure should rise +as high as the top of the frames and the lights be +entirely covered with mats and litter to prevent the +heat accumulating in the frame from escaping. In +about two or three weeks the asparagus begins to show +itself on the surface of the bed. Many market gardeners +cover the whole of the bed inside the frames to a thickness +of three or four inches with manure, to force the +vegetation more quickly; but in this case the manure<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_106" id="Page_106">[Pg 106]</a></span> +must be removed when the asparagus begins to shoot. +When the shoots are about three inches out of the +ground they may be cut. The mats must be taken off +in the daytime, but the heat must be well kept up, else +the roots and buds will fail to push. The beds are +forced every second year only. The gathering of the +asparagus may continue for about two months but no +longer, or the plantation would be injured. When the +gathering is over the frames are taken away, and the +soil which was dug up from the alleys is put back +again.</p> + +<p>An ingenious method of forcing asparagus in the +field by means of shallow tunnels was devised and successfully +carried out by Prof. J. C. Whitten, at the +Missouri Experiment Station, who gives the following +account in Bulletin No. 43:</p> + +<p>"The field selected for the experiment was planted +to asparagus about ten years ago. The plants were +in fair vigor, though of a small variety. The first +section forced embraced six rows, four feet apart, and +fifty feet long. Fig. 35 shows this section with one +tunnel uncovered. Trenches were first made between +the rows. This was done by plowing between them, +twice in a place, throwing the furrows on the plants +so as to cover each row with two furrows of loose +earth. These trenches between the rows were then +made uniform by means of the spade. When finished +they were three or four inches lower than the crowns +of asparagus in the adjacent rows. These trenches +were then covered with twelve-inch boards, which +rested on four-inch blocks, placed at frequent intervals +along either side of the trenches. This formed tunnels +between the rows for conducting the steam. To +guard against the steam's escaping, two or three +inches of soil was placed over the boards, and the +asparagus patch was then covered with five or six +inches of horse manure. This covering was to prevent +the heat from escaping from the soil too rapidly. It +was then ready for the steam to be turned into the +tunnels.</p><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_107" id="Page_107">[Pg 107]</a></span></p> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 640px;"> +<img src="images/i116.jpg" width="640" height="375" alt="" title="" /> +<span class="caption">FIG. 35—TUNNEL THROUGH THE ROWS OF ASPARAGUS FOR FORCING STEAM THROUGH THE SOIL</span> +</div><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_108" id="Page_108">[Pg 108]</a></span></p> + +<p>"To conduct the steam a one and one-half inch +pipe was carried above ground from the boiler to one +end of the central tunnel, a distance of one hundred +and eighty-five feet. A steam hose long enough to +reach each tunnel was attached to this pipe through +which to blow steam into the tunnels. It was not the +idea to give a constant supply of steam, but to discharge +a little into the tunnels each afternoon, or as +often as was necessary to maintain sufficient warmth. +A piece of tile was inserted into the mouth of each +tunnel to prevent the discharging steam from tearing +away the earth.</p> + +<p>"The first steam was turned into the tunnels on +November 14th. Steam was discharged into each +tunnel, not to exceed five minutes at a time, in order +not to heat the earth too hot in any single place. It +required about one hour of steaming the first day to +bring the bed up to the required temperature of sixty +degrees. The distribution of heat throughout the +bed was very uniform and satisfactory. The moist +steam seemed to permeate the soil equally in all +directions.</p> + +<p>"After the first day very little steaming was necessary +until the asparagus began to be produced. On<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_109" id="Page_109">[Pg 109]</a></span> +an average the bed was steamed about twice in three +days and then only for about five minutes for each +tunnel. The soil and horse manure mulch seemed to +hold the heat very well, the frequent steamings keeping +up fermentation in the mulch.</p> + +<p>"The first asparagus was cut November 24th, ten +days after the first steam was applied. The stems +were cut just before they got through the soil and +were perfectly bleached. They were as large as those +ordinarily produced during the normal period of +growth in spring, and were far more crisp and +delicious.</p> + +<p>"Cuttings of asparagus were made almost daily for +about a month, when the growth became somewhat +weak. The last cutting was made on December 22d. +During the month 141 bunches of the ordinary market +size, and weighing about one-half pound each, were +cut from this bed of 25 x 50 feet. This was equivalent +to 300 feet of row or 100 hills of asparagus.</p> + +<p>"Exhausting steam into the asparagus bed, instead +of returning it to the boiler in an inclosed circuit, would +at first seem to be a wasteful process of heating. +Experiment showed, however, that the circumstances +justified this method. Heating a bed of this kind by +a circuit of steam-pipes or hot-water pipes is very unsatisfactory. +The heat from pipes very soon dries out +the soil around the tunnels, destroying its power to +conduct heat. In this way the bed becomes too hot +and dry adjacent to the tunnels and too cold a short +distance from them. It also becomes necessary to +maintain heat in the pipes a good part of the time.</p> + +<p>"By blowing steam directly into the tunnels the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_110" id="Page_110">[Pg 110]</a></span> +soil is kept moist; the steam has a penetrating effect, +and permeates all parts of the bed, giving a uniform +heat throughout; this moist steam keeps up a continual +fermentation of the manure mulch, thus giving +heat, and only occasional brief steamings are necessary.</p> + +<p>"Care must be taken not to use too much steam +at one time, or the plants may be ruined by overheating. +Our asparagus rows were four feet apart, the +tunnels midway between them were only eight inches +wide, and yet we found that five minutes at a time +was as long as was safe to force steam into a single +tunnel.</p> + +<p>"These experiments have been so successful as to +indicate that any one provided with a steam-heating +plant could successfully force asparagus for the markets +in this manner."</p> + +<p>Another plan of forcing asparagus in the field, +devised by Prof. L. H. Bailey, is thus described in his +"Forcing Book": "The Cornell asparagus house—if +it may be called a house—is about twenty by fifty feet +and the frame is made of steam-pipes. The sides, or +walls, are only eighteen inches high, and the frame +consists simply of a ridge and three pairs of rafters. +The steam-heating pipe or riser is just beneath the +ridge, and this feeds two returns upon either side of +the house, next the walls. When it is desired to force +the asparagus, canvas or muslin is stretched over the +frames. No difficulty has been found in starting the +asparagus into growth in January and February. The +cover is left on and the heat kept up until all danger +of frost is past, when the canvas is removed and the +plants grow naturally out-of-doors. The secret of<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_111" id="Page_111">[Pg 111]</a></span> +this method will no doubt be found to lie in allowing +the plantation to become very thoroughly established +(at least, three or four years old) before forcing is +attempted, in the very best tillage and fertilizing during +the summer while the plants are growing, in taking +off the cover just as soon as settled weather comes, +and in not cutting the plants until after that time."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_112" id="Page_112">[Pg 112]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="XIII" id="XIII"></a>XIII</h2> + +<h3>PRESERVING ASPARAGUS</h3> + + +<h4>CANNING</h4> + +<div class="figleft" style="margin-top: 0.25em;"> +<img src="images/capt.jpg" alt="T" title="T" /></div> +<p><span class="smcap">he</span> canning factory has made asparagus a vegetable +for every day of the year instead of +being a luxury for a few weeks, as was formerly +the case. The canners have made it +a farm crop instead of a garden product. To a great +extent canning has transformed the farm into a garden, +increasing the profits from every acre planted +many fold. In many localities an acre of what was +formerly considered a sandy waste is now yielding +more than double the net profit of the best acre under +cultivation in ordinary farm crops.</p> + +<p><i>Eastern methods.</i>—The pioneers in this industry on +Long Island, N. Y., have been the Messrs. Hudson & +Sons, who have extensive plants at Mattituck and +Riverhead, each of them as complete as mechanical +skill and enterprise can make them. Each plant consists +of a storehouse, 50 x 150 feet; a packing-house, +40 x 125 feet; and a can manufactory, 25 x 60 feet. A +steam-engine of ten horse-power is required for hoisting, +pumping, and for generating gas for the soldering-heaters, +and a boiler of one hundred horse-power to +generate steam for sterilizing the asparagus. A perspective +view of one of the plants is seen in Fig. 36.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_113" id="Page_113">[Pg 113]</a></span></p> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 640px;"> +<img src="images/i122.jpg" width="640" height="383" alt="" title="" /> +<span class="caption">FIG. 36—PERSPECTIVE VIEW OF A LONG ISLAND ASPARAGUS CANNERY</span> +</div><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_114" id="Page_114">[Pg 114]</a></span></p> +<p>The asparagus, as it comes from the growers, is in +bunches seven and one-half inches long and weighing +two and one-half pounds each. These bunches are put +under a cutter and cut to six and five-eighths inches; they +are then untied and put in a tank four feet wide by eight +feet long and two feet deep, in which they are washed +as carefully as it is possible to do it. It is then hoisted +up to what is called the blanching tank, which contains +forty gallons. In this it is kept at a scalding heat for +one-half hour, when it is ready for the cans. These +are filled by women who soon become very dextrous, +which is always the case when the pay is in proportion +to the amount of work done. Each can contains just +one and one-half pounds. Exact weight is imperative, +as are details in all manufacturing establishments. +Great care is exercised in packing, so that there are no +bruised or broken heads, and that on opening the can +the stalks may appear as well as if cut fresh from the +garden. After the asparagus is in the cans they are +filled with a weak brine, which not only expels the +air, but adds materially to the flavor of the asparagus.</p> + +<p>The cans are then taken to the soldering-bench for +sealing up. There systematic labor is noticeable, as +every detail of canning must be carried on systematically +to make it profitable. The soldering-irons +used are hollow and the exact size of the caps, which +fit perfectly the grooves made for them. A single +turn of the iron finishes the work. Before the caps +are put in their places a small hole is made in each to +allow the gas, which is generated by the heat from the +soldering, to escape. Without this precaution it would +be impossible to hermetically seal the cans. A single +drop of solder closes the small opening, and the cans +are ready for the retorts for sterilizing.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_115" id="Page_115">[Pg 115]</a></span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 640px;"> +<img src="images/i124.jpg" width="640" height="381" alt="" title="" /> +<span class="caption">FIG. 37—STERILIZING TANK</span> +</div><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_116" id="Page_116">[Pg 116]</a></span></p> + +<p>Here two methods are employed—dry steam, which +is the quicker method, and boiling in a closed tank. +Most of the first-class stock is sterilized in the latter. +This tank (Fig. 37) is in three sections, in all twenty +feet long, each section holding five hundred cans. The +cans are put in iron cribs and are pushed in and taken +out with steam elevators. As soon as the cans are +lowered the sections are closed tightly and the steam +is turned on. The first process of sterilization lasts +twenty minutes, when the tank is opened, the cans +taken out, and a vent given each. This permits the +accumulated gas to escape, which, if allowed to remain, +would materially injure the quality of the asparagus, +both in flavor and preservation. For this work a small +prick punch is used, which makes a hole not larger +than a pin's head. This vent is almost immediately +closed with a single drop of solder and the cans are +again returned to the tanks, where the same operation +of cooking is repeated. Another twenty minutes completes +the work, when the cans are removed to the +packing-room, where they are labeled, wrapped, and +packed ready for shipment. The cans or boxes are +seven inches long, four wide, and two and one-half +deep. A view of the sterilizing-room is presented in +Fig. 38.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_117" id="Page_117">[Pg 117]</a></span></p> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 640px;"> +<img src="images/i126.jpg" width="640" height="386" alt="" title="" /> +<span class="caption">FIG. 38—VIEW OF STERILIZING-ROOM</span> +</div><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_118" id="Page_118">[Pg 118]</a></span></p> +<p>The culls, which are put up as tips, are small-sized +and crooked heads which, although of equal value as a +vegetable, are not shipped to market, as they would +detract from the value of the first quality, and are considered +by both farmers and canners as by-products. +These are cut to three and one-half inches in length, +and then go through the same process in canning as +the first quality, except that dry steam only is used in +sterilization. After going through the blanching +process the tips are put in round cans, four inches in +diameter and five inches high. After soldering up +these cans they are put in the retorts, which are three +feet square, each containing five hundred cans, and +treated with steam two hundred and fifty pounds to +the inch. The cans remain in these retorts half an +hour. Then they are taken out, vented, put back +again, and remain under the same pressure another +half hour, when the work is completed.</p> + +<p>By rigid economy even in the most minute detail, +and by the skill required in the knowledge of canning, +asparagus can now be had at a reasonable price at all +seasons of the year, which is a boon to both producer +and consumer. At $14.00 per one hundred bunches +for No. 1 and $7.00 per hundred bunches for No. 2, +or culls, asparagus is one of the most profitable of +agricultural crops, and even at one-half these prices +it is a much better paying crop than potatoes at 50 +cents per bushel.</p> + +<p><i>Pacific Coast methods.</i>—Canning and preserving of +asparagus in California is carried on on as grand a +scale as are most other undertakings. An idea of the +extent and importance of this comparatively new +industry may readily be conceived when it is considered +that one establishment alone, The Hickmott Asparagus +Canning Co., on Bouldin Island, in the San Joaquin +River, has recently shipped an entire train-load of +canned asparagus from San Francisco to New York. +This train consisted of fifteen freight-cars containing +600 cases each, making a total of 9,000 cases, averaging +forty-eight pounds each, thus making an actual +weight of 432,000 pounds. By far the larger portion +of the yearly asparagus crop in California is canned or +preserved in glass, and in that shape sent to the East, +exported to England and the continent of Europe, and, +in fact, to every civilized country of the world. For +canneries where nothing but the white product is put +up the shoots are cut the instant they show their tips +above the surface. The canneries are located as near +the fields as possible, the effort being to get the product +in glass or cans before it becomes in any way +withered, the important point being that asparagus is +never allowed to become dried.</p> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_119" id="Page_119">[Pg 119]</a></span></p><div class="figcenter" style="width: 640px;"> +<img src="images/i128.jpg" width="640" height="395" alt="" title="" /> +<span class="caption">FIG. 39—INTERIOR VIEW OF A CALIFORNIA ASPARAGUS CANNERY</span> +</div> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_120" id="Page_120">[Pg 120]</a></span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 480px;"> +<img src="images/i130.jpg" width="480" height="310" alt="" title="" /> +<span class="caption">FIG. 40—PERSPECTIVE VIEW OF CANNING PLANTS AT BOULDIN ISLAND</span> +</div> +<p>The method employed at Bouldin Island, where a +crop of 1,500 acres is canned annually, is to have<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_121" id="Page_121">[Pg 121]</a></span> +troughs containing running water in shady places in +the fields. The asparagus, as fast as cut, is brought +to these troughs, and is thoroughly washed. These +troughs are just wide enough to take in the shoots of +the proper length for canning, and each piece is trimmed +before being immersed. From the troughs the asparagus +is taken to the sorting table, then on to the scalding +vats until it reaches the fillers, where is completed the +systematic handling of this product, packing it to perfection, +nothing remaining except to be labeled, when +it is ready to be forwarded to the markets of the world. +The entire process from the time the stalks are taken +from the ground to the time they are ready for the +table consumes less than six hours. The process +throughout is a marvel of cleanliness, particular attention +and stress being laid on every detail connected +with it. No bleaching agents or anything foreign or +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_122" id="Page_122">[Pg 122]</a></span> +deleterious whatever is used in the packing of this +plant. In Fig. 39 is seen the interior of one of these +canneries, where the especially constructed solderless +cans of the company are being packed. Everything +connected with the growing, harvesting, and canning +is done on Bouldin Island, save only the printing +of the labels. That the operators may be lodged +in comfort the company has erected modern cottages +for their employés who have families, besides +well-equipped boarding-houses. The development and +growth of this asparagus cannery is one of the marvels +of California. Starting ten years ago with a rented +boiler, under the arched dome of the sky for a roof, and +nothing but the shade of weeping willows for a storehouse, +as seen in the Frontispiece, it has developed +into a superb plant, equipped with all modern appliances. +During the active season 1,500 hands are employed +directly and indirectly by the canning company, +and the estimated output for the average season is +150,000 cases. Figs. 40 and 41 present perspective +views of some of the asparagus canneries on Bouldin +Island.</p> + + +<h4>DRYING</h4> + +<p>Although the drying of asparagus is not much +practiced in America, it is well worth the attention of +those who at times have a surplus of fresh stalks. +Dried asparagus is especially recommended for soups +and sauces, and if properly prepared it is no less desirable +as a table vegetable. Dried asparagus keeps +indefinitely, and cost of transportation is largely reduced. +For the latter purpose medium-sized spears +are most suitable, as they dry more evenly than larger +ones. Some recommend the peeling or scalding of the +stalks before drying, but this is not essential, and, if +desired, may be done after steaming. On a large +scale the drying may be done in any modern evaporator.</p><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_123" id="Page_123">[Pg 123]</a></span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 640px;"> +<img src="images/i132.jpg" width="640" height="411" alt="" title="" /> +<span class="caption">FIG. 41—CANNERY IN ASPARAGUS FIELDS</span> +</div><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_124" id="Page_124">[Pg 124]</a></span></p> + + +<p>For home use the most satisfactory way is to string +the stalks with a large needle and strong thread +through the butt ends of the stalks, and hang them +along buildings or fences where they are exposed to +the full rays of the sun. To insure a uniform drying +it is important that all the spears on the string are of +the same thickness, as the thicker ones require more +time to dry than those of smaller size. When the air +is dry and warm one day's exposure to the sun will be +sufficient to dry them. Otherwise the strings will +have to be hung up in the kitchen in the evening, or +in some other dry place over night, to be brought out +again the following morning, until the asparagus is +perfectly dry. It is then ready to be put in boxes or +loose bags and stored in a dry place. If the stalks +have been peeled before drying, when desired for use +they are placed in cold water for half an hour, some +salt is added, and they are cooked like fresh asparagus.</p> + +<p>For preparing dried asparagus that has not been +peeled before drying, Dr. Brinckmeier recommends +taking a sufficient number of the dried stalks and +place them in water, which, while not boiling, is very +near the boiling point, and keeping them there until they +resume their succulent, smooth, fresh appearance. To +keep the water just right a double boiler is best, with +the stalks in the inner one. The water in the outer +vessel should be kept at a steady boil. As the stalks<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_125" id="Page_125">[Pg 125]</a></span> +resume the fresh appearance, take them out carefully +one by one and place in cold water until cooled, after +which place on a dish to dry. They should be carefully +scalded to remove the hard outside skin, done up +in a bundle, either by tying with strings or wrapping +in a piece of netting, placed in boiling water, to which +a little salt has been added, and allowed to remain +there a few moments—a very few, for it cooks quickly—until +done.</p> + +<p>These methods are recommended for white asparagus +only, and when properly dried and cooked +asparagus so treated is by many considered to be +hardly distinguishable from the freshly cut, although +it looses its white color in the process. Smaller and +green stalks may be dried on wire frames or wooden +racks over the kitchen stove, similar to apples.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_126" id="Page_126">[Pg 126]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="XIV" id="XIV"></a>XIV</h2> + +<h3>INJURIOUS INSECTS</h3> + +<div class="figleft" style="margin-top: 0.25em;"> +<img src="images/capw.jpg" alt="W" title="W" /></div> +<p><span class="smcap">hile</span> a number of different insects feed upon the +asparagus plant, there are only two species +which have so far become extensively distributed +and caused serious damage in the +United States. Both of these were imported from +Europe, and are limited for their food supply to the +asparagus plant.</p> + + +<h4>THE COMMON ASPARAGUS BEETLE<a name="Atop" id="Atop"></a><span class="fnanchor"><a href="#A">[A]</a></span></h4> + +<p class="center">(<i>Crioceris asparagi</i>)</p> + +<p>This beetle is by far the most important enemy +of the asparagus plant. It was first noticed in this +country at Astoria, L. I., now a part of New York +City, in 1859, but its actual introduction into that +locality occurred about 1856. The injury inflicted by +this insect is due to the work of both adults and larvæ +upon the tender shoots, which they render unfit for +market, early in the season. Later they destroy, by +defoliation, growing plants, and are particularly injurious +to seedlings, the roots of which are weakened +by having their tops devoured. Larvæ, as well as +beetles, attack the tenderest portions of the plants, but +the latter gnaw with seemingly equal relish the epidermis, +or rind, of the stems. The beetles are also +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_127" id="Page_127">[Pg 127]</a></span>accused of gnawing young shoots beneath the surface, +causing them to become woody and crooked in growth.</p> + +<p>The beetle illustrated in Fig. 42 is a most beautiful +creature—from the entomologist's point of view—slender +and graceful in form, blue-black in color, with +red thorax and lemon-yellow and dark blue elytra or +wing covers, with reddish border. Its length is a +trifle less than one-fourth of an inch.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 469px;"> +<img src="images/i136.jpg" width="469" height="301" alt="" title="" /> +<span class="caption">FIG. 42—COMMON ASPARAGUS BEETLE <br /> + +<i>a</i>, beetle; <i>b</i>, egg; <i>c</i>, newly hatched larva; <i>d</i>, full-grown larva</span> +</div> + +<p>From the scene of its first colonization in Queen's +County, N. Y., the insect migrated to the other truck-growing +portions of Long Island. It soon reached +southern Connecticut, and has now extended its range +northward through Massachusetts to New Hampshire. +Southward it has traveled through New Jersey, where +it was first noticed in 1868, to southern Virginia. At +present it is well established in the principal asparagus-growing +sections of New England, of New Jersey,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_128" id="Page_128">[Pg 128]</a></span> +Delaware, and Maryland, and is present in Pennsylvania, +New York, and Ohio. The question of distribution +is an important one, as this species is rapidly +extending its range. In a very few years we may expect +its spread to other portions of the States in which +it is now local, and later it will naturally move westward +to Indiana and other States west and south of +there.</p> + +<p>The insect passes the winter in the beetle state +under convenient shelter, and toward the end of April +or early in May, according to locality, or at the season +for cutting the asparagus for market, issues from its +hibernating quarters and lays its eggs for the first +brood. The eggs are deposited endwise upon the stem +or foliage, and in the early spring upon the developed +stalks, usually in rows of from two to six, or more. +In from three to eight days the eggs hatch, the young +larvæ, commonly called "grubs" or "worms," presenting +the appearance indicated in Fig. 42, <i>c</i>. They at +once begin to feed, and are from ten days to a fortnight, +according to Fitch and others, in attaining full +growth. When full grown the larva appears as in +Fig. 42, <i>d</i>. It is soft and fleshy, much wrinkled, and +in color dark gray or olive, which usually becomes +lighter and yellowish with age. The mature larva +enters the earth, and here, within a little rounded, +dirt-covered cocoon which it forms, the pupa state is +assumed. In from five to eight or more days the +adult beetle is produced, which soon issues from the +ground in search of food and of a suitable place for +the continuance of the species. In Fig. 43 is shown a +spray of asparagus, with the common asparagus beetle +in its different stages, asparagus top at the right showing +eggs and injury.</p> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_129" id="Page_129">[Pg 129]</a></span></p> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 367px;"> +<img src="images/i138.jpg" width="367" height="628" alt="" title="" /> +<span class="caption">FIG. 43—SPRAY AND TOP OF ASPARAGUS ATTACKED BY +BEETLES</span> +</div><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_130" id="Page_130">[Pg 130]</a></span></p> + +<p>The duration of the life cycle is about thirty days +from the time the eggs are laid until the insects attain +maturity, but the time is shorter in the hotter parts of +a season than in the cooler days of May or September. +In the District of Columbia the eggs, in the warmest +part of midsummer, develop in three days and the +pupæ in five days. From this it may be estimated +that, in the very warmest weather, the development of +the insect may be effected in about three weeks from +the time the egg is laid. In colder climates and in +spring and autumn the development from egg to beetle +will require from four to perhaps seven weeks. In the +northern range of the species, two and perhaps three +broods are usually produced, and farther southward +there is a possibility of at least a fourth generation. In +the latitude of the District of Columbia the beetles +usually disappear to enter into hibernation in the latter +days of September.</p> + +<p>The common asparagus beetle has very efficient +checks in the shape of predaceous insects, which prey +upon its larvæ and assist in preventing its undue increase. +One of the most active of these predaceous +insects is the spotted ladybird (<i>Megilla maculata</i> DeG.), +represented in its several stages in the illustration (Fig. +44.) The adult of this beetle is rose-colored, with +numerous black spots. The spined soldier-bug (<i>Podisus +spinosus</i> Dal.) and the bordered soldier-bug (<i>Stiretrus +anchorado</i> Fab.) are also useful as destroyers of +asparagus beetle larvæ, which they catch and kill by +impaling them upon their long beaks and sucking out<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_131" id="Page_131">[Pg 131]</a></span> +their juices. Certain species of wasps and small +dragon-flies also prey upon the larvæ. Asparagus +beetles are very susceptible to sudden changes of temperature, +and immense numbers of hibernating beetles +are sometimes killed in winter during severe cold spells +following "open" weather.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 421px;"> +<img src="images/i140.jpg" width="421" height="279" alt="" title="" /> +<span class="caption">FIG. 44—SPOTTED LADYBIRD<br /> + +<i>a</i>, larva; <i>b</i>, empty pupal skin; <i>c</i>, beetle, with enlarged antenna above</span> +</div> + +<p><i>Remedies.</i>—The common asparagus beetle, under +ordinary circumstances, may be held in restraint by +the simplest means. Chickens and ducks are efficient +destroyers of the insect, and their services are often +brought into requisition for this purpose. A practice +that is in high favor among prominent asparagus +growers is to cut down all plants, including volunteer +growth, in early spring to force the beetles to deposit +their eggs upon new shoots, which are then cut every +day before the eggs have time to hatch. Another +measure of value consists in permitting a portion of the +shoots to grow and serve as lures for the beetles. Here<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_132" id="Page_132">[Pg 132]</a></span> +they may be killed with insecticides, or the plants, +after they become covered with eggs, may be cut down +and burned, and other shoots be allowed to grow up +as decoys. One of the best and least expensive remedies +against the larvæ is fresh air-slacked lime dusted +on the plants in the early morning while the dew is on. +It quickly destroys all the grubs with which it comes +in contact. The lime may be conveniently applied by +means of a whisk-broom or a Paris green sifter. Even +dry road dust applied in this manner will have a beneficial +effect. The special merit of these insecticides is +that they can be used without the least danger upon +young shoots being cut for market or home use.</p> + +<p>Paris green and other arsenites, applied dry in powder, +mixed with flour or plaster, or in solution, answer +equally well, after cutting has ceased, and possess the +advantage of destroying beetles as well as larvæ. One +pound of Paris green to a barrel of fine plaster makes +a sufficiently strong mixture. It may be necessary to +make two of these applications at intervals or as often +as the larvæ reappear on the plants. Powdered hellebore +mixed with flour, one part to ten, or in solution +of one ounce of hellebore to three gallons of water, is +also very effective against the young larvæ. Pyrethrum +or buhach may be used in similar manner, and +kerosene emulsion has been highly recommended by +some experimenters. In hot weather, when the soil +is dry, the larvæ may be brushed or shaken from the +plants so that they will drop to the heated ground, +where they die, being unable to regain the shelter of +the plants. Whichever methods for the destruction of +this pest are adopted, unless the work be done thor<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_133" id="Page_133">[Pg 133]</a></span>oughly +and with concerted action by all the growers in +the section, the relief can not be permanent.</p> + + +<h4>THE TWELVE-SPOTTED ASPARAGUS BEETLE</h4> + +<p class="center">(<i>Crioceris 12-punctata</i> Linn)</p> + +<p>The presence of this insect in America was first +detected in 1881, and it is still much rarer and consequently +less injurious than the preceding species. In +Europe, where it is apparently native, it is common +but not especially destructive. The chief source of +damage from this species is from the work of the +hibernated beetles in early spring upon the young and +edible asparagus shoots. Later beetles as well as +larvæ appear to feed exclusively upon the berries. +The eggs are deposited singly, and apparently by preference, +upon old plants toward the end of shoots, +which, lower down, bear ripening berries, and they +are attached along their sides instead of at one end, as +in the case with the eggs of the common species. +Soon after the larva hatches from the egg it finds its +way to an asparagus berry, enters it, and feeds upon +the pulp. In due time it leaves the first berry for +another one, and when full growth is attained it +deserts its last larval habitation and enters the earth, +where it transforms to pupa and afterward to the adult +beetle. The life cycle does not differ materially from +that of the common species, and there are probably +the same or nearly as many generations developed.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_134" id="Page_134">[Pg 134]</a></span></p> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 430px;"> +<img src="images/i143.jpg" width="430" height="303" alt="" title="" /> +<span class="caption">FIG. 45—TWELVE-SPOTTED ASPARAGUS BEETLE<br /> + +<i>a</i>, beetle; <i>b</i>, larva; <i>c</i>, second abdominal segment of larva; <i>d</i>, same +of common asparagus beetle</span> +</div> + +<p>This species is at present distributed throughout +the asparagus-growing country of New Jersey, particularly +in the vicinity of the Delaware River, the whole +of Delaware, nearly the entire state of Maryland, the +District of Columbia, the southeastern portion of +Pennsylvania bordering the state line of New Jersey, +northeastern Virginia in the vicinity of the western +shore of the Potomac River, Staten Island, and Monroe +County, N. Y., the last mentioned being the most +northern locality known for the species. The mature +beetle in life rivals the common asparagus beetle in +beauty, but may be distinguished by its much broader +wing covers and its color. The ground color is +orange red, each wing cover is marked with six black +dots, and the knees and a portion of the under surface +of the thorax are also marked with black, as seen in +Fig. 45, <i>a</i>. The beetle as it appears on the plant when +in fruit very closely resembles, at a little distance, a +ripe asparagus berry. The full-grown larva is shown<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_135" id="Page_135">[Pg 135]</a></span> +in Fig. 45, <i>b</i>. It measures, when extended, three-tenths +of an inch, being of about the same proportions +as the larva of the common species, but is readily separable +by its ochraceous orange color. Fig. 45, <i>c</i>, +shows the second abdominal segment of larva, and <i>d</i> +same of the common asparagus beetle, much enlarged.</p> + +<p><i>Remedies.</i>—The remedies are those indicated for +the common asparagus beetle, with the possible exception +of caustic lime and other measures that are +directed solely against that species, but the habit of +the larva of living within the berry places it for that +period beyond the reach of insecticides. The collection +and destruction of the asparagus berries before +ripening might be a solution of the problem, but it is +questionable if recourse to this measure would be +necessary, save in cases of an exceptional abundance +of the insect.</p> + + +<h4>THE ASPARAGUS MINER</h4> + +<p class="center">(<i>Agromyza simplex</i>)</p> + +<p>In a recent bulletin from the New York Experiment +Station, Prof. F. A. Sirrine describes a comparatively +new and injurious insect on asparagus. It +was discovered on Long Island, and injures the young +plants by mining just underneath the outside surface. +The habits of this creature are such that there is little +chance of applying remedies for its destruction. Cultural +and preventive measures seem to be the most +practical, and are suggested. The parent insect is a +small fly, which deposits its eggs for the first brood +early in June, and no doubt much can be done toward +keeping the pest under control by not allowing small +shoots to grow during the cutting season. Professor<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_136" id="Page_136">[Pg 136]</a></span> +Sirrine is of the opinion that where young beds are put +out yearly the pest can be kept in check by pulling and +burning the old stalks. He points out the fact that +the stalk should be pulled in the fall rather than in the +spring, as it is difficult to pull them early in the +season, and in many cases the dormant stage of the +insect is left in the ground.</p> + +<div class="footnotes"><h4>FOOTNOTES:</h4> + +<p><a name="A" id="A"></a><span class="fnanchor"><a href="#Atop">[A]</a></span> Condensed from an official report by J. H. Chittenden of the United +States Department of Agriculture.</p> +</div> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_137" id="Page_137">[Pg 137]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="XV" id="XV"></a>XV</h2> + +<h3>FUNGUS DISEASES</h3> + +<div class="figleft" style="margin-top: 0.25em;"> +<img src="images/capa.jpg" alt="A" title="A" /></div> +<p><span class="smcap">sparagus</span> is subject to the attacks of a number +of fungi, the most widespread and destructive +being the "rust," the cause of which is a +fungus described by De Candolle as <i>Puccinia +asparagi</i> in the year 1805. From this it is seen that +the rust upon the asparagus has been known to scientists +for nearly a hundred years, and it is but reasonable +to suppose that more or less of this fungus has +existed beyond the history of man.</p> + +<p>The first mention of asparagus rust in the United +States was by Dr. Harkness, who claimed to have +observed it on the Pacific Coast in 1880, although it is +doubtful whether the genuine asparagus rust was ever +found there. The first mention of it in the Eastern +States was in the fall of 1896, and since then its range +has been widening each year. Dr. Byron D. Halsted, +of the New Jersey Experiment Station, was the first to +call attention to it, and made it the subject of careful +study. The results and conclusions derived from his +experiments were published in a special bulletin, and +from this the greater part of the following has been +condensed.</p> + + +<h4>RECOGNITION OF THE RUST</h4> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 279px;"> +<img src="images/i147.jpg" width="279" height="420" alt="" title="" /> +<span class="caption">FIG. 46—ASPARAGUS STEMS AFFECTED WITH RUST</span> +</div> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 287px;"> +<img src="images/i148.jpg" width="287" height="340" alt="" title="" /> +<span class="caption">FIG. 47—PORTION OF RUSTED ASPARAGUS STEMS</span> +</div> + +<p>When an asparagus field is badly infested with the +rust the general appearance is that of an unusually<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_138" id="Page_138">[Pg 138]</a></span> +early maturing of the plants (Fig. 46). Instead of +the healthy green color there is a brown hue, as if +insects had sapped the plants or frost destroyed their +vitality. Rusted plants, when viewed closely, are +found to have the skin of the stems lifted, as if blistered, +and within the ruptures of the epidermis the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_139" id="Page_139">[Pg 139]</a></span> +color is brown, as shown in Fig. 47. The brown color +is due to multitudes of spores borne upon the tips of +fine threads of the fungus, which aggregate at certain +points and cause the spots. The threads from which +the spores are produced are exceedingly small and +grow through the substance of the asparagus stem,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_140" id="Page_140">[Pg 140]</a></span> +taking up nourishment and causing an enfeebled condition +of the victim, which results in loss of the green +color and the final rustiness of the plant, due to the +multitude of spores formed upon the surface. These +spores are carried by the wind to other plants, where +new disease spots are produced; but as the autumn +advances a final form of spore appears in the ruptures +that is quite different in shape and color from the first +ones produced through the summer. The spores of +late autumn, from their dark color, give an almost +black appearance to the spots.</p> + +<p>There is another form which the rust fungus assumes +not usually seen in the asparagus field, but may be +found in early spring upon plants that are not subjected +to cutting. This is the cluster-cup stage, so named +because the fungus produces minute cups from the +asparagus stem, and in small groups of a dozen to +fifty, making usually an oval spot easily seen with the +naked eye. This stage of the fungus comes first in +the order of time in the series, and is met with upon +volunteer plants that may grow along the roadside or +fence row, or in a field where all the old asparagus +plants have not been destroyed.</p> + + +<h4>METHODS OF TREATING THE RUST</h4> + +<p>All the cultivated varieties of asparagus are readily +affected by the rust, although it has been found that +some varieties, notably Palmetto, are less susceptible +to its attacks than others. The most effectual means +of controlling the disease are spraying, burning of the +brush, cultivation, and irrigation.</p> + +<p><i>Spraying.</i>—Dr. Halsted, in his first experiments,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_141" id="Page_141">[Pg 141]</a></span> +used soda-bordeaux, hydrate-bordeaux, and potash-bordeaux. +The spraying began June 2d, and ten sprayings +were applied during the season. The applications +were made with a knapsack pump, and therefore were +far more expensive than they would have been if the +sprayings were made with horse-power. With the +fungicide costing $5.00 per acre, and a machine that +would spray two or more rows at a time, it would be +possible to reduce the cost to $10.00 per acre, or even +less. In effectiveness the soda-bordeaux stood first. +Between the other fungicides there was but little difference. +The best results showed a reduction of rust +of about one-quarter, which is not as satisfactory a +result as had been expected.</p> + +<p>In the spraying work conducted by Professors G. +E. Stone and R. E. Smith, at the Massachusetts Experiment +Station, the results were more encouraging. +The solutions used were potassium sulfide, saccharate +of lime, and bordeaux mixture. The spraying was +done with a knapsack sprayer, provided with a Vermorel +nozzle, and after the first application it became +evident that the practice was of little importance on +account of the difficulty in making the solution stick +to the plant. For successful spraying of asparagus a +finer nozzle is required than any that is now in the +market.</p> + +<p>In some other experiments carried out on a small +scale the asparagus plants were practically covered +with solutions, when they were put on with an ordinary +cylinder atomizer, and the lime solutions showed +excellent sticking qualities; but with the ordinary +coarse nozzle the solutions would run off of the glossy<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_142" id="Page_142">[Pg 142]</a></span> +epidermal covering of the plant very readily. Should +the spraying of asparagus ever become a necessity, +then some apparatus which can be strapped to a +horse's back should be used. The narrow space between +the rows forbids the use of the ordinary +mounted appliances, and if spraying is to be carried +on upon a large scale, it would be better to have the +spraying mixture carried in some manner on the +horse's back. In this way it would be possible to +carry some thirty or forty gallons of mixture through +the narrow rows.</p> + +<p><i>Burning the affected tops.</i>—There can be no doubt +that by the burning of the infested brush, after the +cutting season, innumerable rust spores are destroyed. +But if this is done before the stalks are entirely dead +new ones will spring up at once, and in a few days +will be as badly affected as the first. The burning of +the tops in the summer has, moreover, a decidedly +injurious effect upon the roots, seriously weakening +their vitality, and making the growth of the following +year still more susceptible to the infection.</p> + +<p>In the autumn, however, after the stalks are dead +and dry, this damage does not prevail, and the spores +upon old brush can be destroyed by burning the asparagus +stems either as they stand in the field or by cutting +and throwing the brush into piles. By the latter +method many of the smaller branches will be broken +off and scattered upon the ground, giving a suitable +place for the spores to remain over the winter. For +the same reason it is an advantage to burn the brush +in autumn instead of the spring, and thus prevent the +large loss of spores that would obtain. In other<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_143" id="Page_143">[Pg 143]</a></span> +words, burn the plants as soon as they become brown +and lifeless, for any delay means the breaking up of +the brittle, rusty plants, and a heavy sowing of the +spores upon the ground. If the fire could go over the +whole field of standing brush, that would be the most +effective destruction. At best, with these precautions, +many of the spores will get scattered upon the soil, +and it would be well to sprinkle a thin coat of lime +upon the ground and leave it there during the winter. +If this could be followed by a turning under of the +surface soil in the spring, it would bury the spores +that might still be living, so that they would be out of +reach.</p> + +<p><i>Cultivation and irrigation.</i>—It has been observed +that the injury to asparagus plants, as a result of rust, +has been confined to dry soils, although there are +places where beds in close proximity showed remarkable +differences as to infection; and that robust and +vigorous plants, even where cultivated on apparently +dry soil, are capable of resisting the summer or injurious +stage of the rust.</p> + +<p>In view of all the experiments so far made, and the +experiences of practical asparagus growers, Stone and +Smith conclude that: "The best means of controlling +the rust is by thorough cultivation in order to secure +vigorous plants, and in seasons of extreme dryness +plants growing on very dry soil with little water-retaining +properties should, if possible, receive irrigation."</p> + +<p>From a knowledge of the occurrences of the rust +in Europe, and from observations made in Massachusetts, +they are led to believe that the outbreak of the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_144" id="Page_144">[Pg 144]</a></span> +asparagus rust is of a sporadic nature, and is not +likely to cause much harm in the future, provided +attention is given to the production of vigorous plants.</p> + + +<h4>ASPARAGUS LEOPARD SPOT</h4> + +<p>Attention was called to this new disease by Prof. +W. G. Johnson, in Bulletin No. 50, Maryland Experiment +Station, September, 1897. It was observed in a +limited area in the asparagus growing section on the +eastern shore of Maryland. The disease belongs to +the group of anthracnoses, and is regarded by Dr. B. +D. Halsted as a new species. In some places growers +have mistaken it for the work of asparagus beetles. +In general appearance it is very striking, the characteristic +spots resembling the coat of the leopard. It has, +therefore, been called "asparagus leopard spot," to distinguish +it readily from rust. The disease has been +found only in a comparatively small area, but, no +doubt will be found in other places later. Asparagus +growers should, therefore, be on their guard and +watch it. The remedies thus far successfully used are +the same as those for rust.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_145" id="Page_145">[Pg 145]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="XVI" id="XVI"></a>XVI</h2> + +<h3>ASPARAGUS CULTURE IN DIFFERENT +LOCALITIES</h3> + + +<h4>ASPARAGUS IN NEW ENGLAND</h4> + +<div class="figleft" style="margin-top: 0.25em;"> +<img src="images/capa.jpg" alt="A" title="A" /></div> +<p><span class="smcap">sparagus</span> was grown in Concord, Mass., in a +limited way as early as 1825. Mr. Edmund +Hosmer used to carry it to market in season +on his milk wagon. Timothy Prescott and +F. R. Gourgas grew garden patches before 1840. +To John B. Moore belongs the credit of growing and +improving asparagus in this section of the State. Mr. +Moore selected the most promising shoots, and by a +judicious system of culture succeeded in placing on +the market a valuable variety in the shape of Moore's +Cross-bred. Most of the "giant" asparagus grown +in Concord to-day could be traced to the plants produced +by his skill. A sample bunch of twelve stalks, +twelve inches long, from Moore's Cross-bred plants +weighed four pounds eight ounces. In 1872 the first +bed of asparagus of any size was set out by Mr. George +D. Hubbard, who was laughed at by his neighbor +farmers, who saw only ruin for the young man. The +next year Mr. Hubbard set out more, so that for +twenty years he was probably the largest grower in +Massachusetts.</p> + +<p>Most of the leading varieties are grown in Concord, +but the farmers are looking for a rust-proof variety and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_146" id="Page_146">[Pg 146]</a></span> +hope to find one. The Palmetto has not rusted as +badly as other kinds, but has not been grown so extensively. +One-year-old roots should be set by all +means, as they start sooner, grow more vigorously, +and in the end pay better. The roots should be carefully +selected from vigorous stock. A very large part +of Concord asparagus is planted on sandy soil—<i>i.e.</i>, +good, rich, mellow corn land. This kind of land needs +more manure, but then the crop is more satisfactory +and the labor bill is not so high. The land previous +to setting to asparagus should be well tilled and +manured.</p> + +<p>Land for asparagus beds should be plowed late in +the fall, and if stable manure can be afforded should be +applied liberally. In the spring plow again early and +harrow well. The roots should be planted in April as +soon as the ground can be worked. After determining +the direction of the rows a number of laths, four feet +long, are placed in line where the first row is to be. It +is very important to get the rows straight and an even +distance apart. A good strong pair of horses and a +large plow are used, a board being so placed above the +mold-board of the plow that the loose soil will not fall +back into the furrow. Drive the horses so that the +middle of the evener will just come to the lath, then +change the lath over its own length, if the rows are to +be four feet apart, and that will mark the next row. +Change each lath as you come to it, and when your +first furrow is completed your second row will be all +marked out. Return in the first row to make it deeper +and also to straighten any bends. Shovel out the ends +for a few feet and you will have a proper furrow to set<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_147" id="Page_147">[Pg 147]</a></span> +asparagus roots in. Proceed with the other rows in +the same manner, and you will have a good-looking +plantation.</p> + +<p>The larger growers in Concord set the plants two +feet apart in the row and have the rows four feet apart. +The plants are set in the bottom of the furrow, covered +two inches, and should level up by fall so that the +crowns will be six or seven inches below the surface. +The furrows may be made very deep, so that manure +can be placed in the bottom, or fertilizer may be strewn +before the plants are set or after. The roots should be +spread out carefully in the bottom of the furrow, care +being taken to have them in line. The bed should be +cultivated with a fine-tooth cultivator or weeder often +enough to prevent the growth of weeds. Keep the bed +clean and do not have the trenches filled in before the +last of September. The tops should not be cut in the +fall of the first year, as the snow will be held by them, +and thereby protect the roots to some extent. Some +growers spread coarse manure on their beds in the fall +to prevent the soil from being blown away and also to +prevent winter killing, which, however, is rare.</p> + +<p>In the second year the bed may be plowed or +wheel-harrowed in the spring as early as possible. Concord +growers use animal manure or chemical fertilizers, +as the case may be or as the bed may require. +The bed should be smooth harrowed just before the +new shoots appear, and good clean cultivation given +during the season. After harrowing or plowing in the +third year, sow your chemicals or fertilizer broadcast +and harrow in. A good formula for asparagus is: +Nitrate of soda, 300 to 400 pounds; muriate of potash,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_148" id="Page_148">[Pg 148]</a></span> +400 pounds; and fine ground bone, 600 pounds per +acre. The shoots will appear about May 5th, and +should be cut for about two weeks; then let them grow +up and cultivate well during the season.</p> + +<p>Home-mixing of fertilizer is practiced by some of +the growers in this vicinity, as it is cheaper and better. +Any intelligent farmer can, with a little study, purchase +and mix the raw materials to advantage. Not +so much fertilizer is used as formerly by our growers, +who are beginning to think that we use more plant +food than the crop needs, thus throwing away many +dollars each year. The cost of an acre of asparagus +when properly planted and manured is about two hundred +dollars, varying with the cost of help, manure, etc. +The average product of asparagus beds is about two +hundred and eighty-eight dozen bunches per acre—probably +less since the rust appeared in 1897.</p> + +<p>Asparagus is grown largely on Cape Cod. There +the roots are planted in rows six feet apart and four or +five feet in the row. Seaweed is used largely in connection +with fertilizer and manure. Various grains, +oats, rye, etc., are sometimes sown to prevent the soil +being blown away. The method of culture is much +the same as elsewhere.</p> + +<p>At Concord the asparagus season opens usually +about May 5th. The shoots are cut two or three +inches under ground and should be about eight inches +in length. These are laid in handfuls on the ground +by the cutter, each one cutting two rows. The product +of four rows is laid in one row, making what is +called a "basket row." These "basket rows" are +gathered in baskets, boxes, or wheelbarrows, and taken<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_149" id="Page_149">[Pg 149]</a></span> +to the packing-shed. The asparagus is placed on a +table and packed in racks of uniform size, passed to +the person who ties, and then to be butted off. The +bunches are then washed and set up in troughs ready +for market. Water is added in season to swell the +bunch tight and it is then packed in bushel boxes for +market, going in by teams each night.</p> + +<p>Asparagus was free from pests until 1889, when +the asparagus beetle made its unwelcome appearance. +Methods of fighting the beetle were unknown to growers +generally at that time, but necessity soon taught +us. Chickens and hens are used with good results, also +Paris green dry was applied with an air-gun when the +dew was on the foliage. Cutworms sometimes do the +asparagus crop severe damage, but chickens and hens +are a sure remedy—in fact, hens are a decided benefit +in an asparagus field, keeping down many weeds.</p> + +<p>After learning to control the asparagus beetle we +were visited by the rust, which has proved a stubborn +foe and absorbs the sap which ought to go to the +growing plant. Appearing in July, 1897, the rust +seriously damaged many beds in eastern Massachusetts. +Many remedies have been suggested, but so far +none of them have proved perfectly satisfactory. +Growers have been advised to cut the infected tops as +soon as the rust appears, but such a practice is all +wrong, however good in theory. Do not cut the tops +until the sap has left the stalks. This is the advice of +a large number of asparagus growers and scientific +men who are engaged in experimental work.</p> + +<p> +<span class="smcap" style="margin-left: 25em;">Charles W. Prescott.</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 5em;"><small><i>Middlesex County, Mass.</i></small></span><br /> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_150" id="Page_150">[Pg 150]</a></span></p> + + +<h4>ASPARAGUS ON LONG ISLAND</h4> + +<p>The cultivation of asparagus on Long Island does +not differ materially, in most respects, from that +practiced in other localities, other than in its extent. +But there is probably more to be learned about its +cultivation there than in any other section of the +country, from the fact of its being grown under +such changed conditions of soil. Here it can be +shown that the character of soil is not, of itself, +of great importance, and that on soil usually considered +worthless—on land that can be bought, +uncleared, at from five to ten dollars per acre—asparagus +can be made as profitable a crop as on land considered +cheap at one hundred dollars per acre.</p> + +<p>Nearly every farm, the northern boundary of +which is the Long Island Sound, has from two to +twenty acres of soil composed very largely of fine +drift sand, in all respects like quick-sand in character. +This, when mixed with light loam, as is frequently +the case, is the most favorable land for asparagus, and +in such it is largely grown, being unsuited to potatoes +or cereals, and where grasses make but a feeble +struggle for existence. Within five minutes' walk to +the south the soil is from a lively to a quite heavy +loam, in which corn, potatoes, cabbage, cauliflower, +and, in fact, all other crops revel. In this soil the +asparagus also finds a congenial home, but no better +than in the sand, in which but little else can be grown; +neither can it be grown here more profitably. The +expense for fertilizers is a little more on the sandy +soil, but the cost in labor on the heavy soil will quite<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_151" id="Page_151">[Pg 151]</a></span> +equal the cost of extra fertilizer required on the +light.</p> + +<p>Whether away from a saline atmosphere a light +soil would be as favorable as a heavy one for the asparagus +is a question that practical experiment only +can settle. But it is an important one, as it is not +generally supposed that it is possible to grow asparagus, +at a profit, on such soils as are now being devoted +to this crop on Long Island.</p> + +<p>That which has been called the barren wastes, the +dwarf-pine and scrub-oak lands of Suffolk County, +can be made most profitable farming lands may be a +surprise to many, but that such is the case does not +admit of a doubt. As evidence of this, let us state +what is being done along these lines. Messrs. Hudson +& Sons, leading canners of asparagus, have bought a +farm of 525 acres of as poor land as it is possible to find +on Long Island, which they are to devote exclusively +to this crop. They have already more than fifty acres +planted, and are getting the whole in readiness as +rapidly as possible. This is no experiment, but simply +doing on a large scale what has profitably been done +on a small one.</p> + +<p>On similar soils a low estimate of net profit is +$100 per acre, and there are many instances where +double this profit is made. The price paid last season +by the canners was $14 per 100 bunches for first +quality, and $6 per 100 for culls, or "tips," as they +are usually called. With good cultivation, which +means a liberal supply of plant food—and there is no +crop that requires more—and the surface kept clean, +free from weeds, and frequently cultivated, so that the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_152" id="Page_152">[Pg 152]</a></span> +surface is at all times loose and fine to prevent evaporation, +the average yield is 2,500 bunches per acre. If +we estimate the tips at 25 per cent. of the crop, the +gross receipts will amount to $200 per acre.</p> + +<p>After a given acreage is ready for cutting, which +is the third year after planting, the annual cost of cultivation +is not very much, if any, more than that of a +crop of potatoes. It is a question whether the actual +cost of growing and marketing an acre of asparagus is +not less than that of an acre of potatoes. Some growers +assert it is three times as much work to take care of a +given acreage of asparagus as of potatoes; admitting +it, the relative cost is stated above.</p> + +<p> +<span class="smcap" style="margin-left: 25em;">C. L. Allen.</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 5em;"><small><i>Nassau County, N. Y.</i></small></span><br /> +</p> + + +<h4>ASPARAGUS IN NEW JERSEY</h4> + +<p>An important point in asparagus culture is to +remove the top growth in the fall of the year. For +this purpose I use a mowing-machine, then rake up +the brush and burn it on the bed. After this I top-dress +heavy with manure, leaving it lie on the land +until spring.</p> + +<p>Just as soon as the ground is fit to work at all I put +on a disk-harrow, and cut it about four times each way +until it is thoroughly pulverized. Then with a smoothing-harrow +I level it, and repeat the smoothing-harrow +operation about once a week to keep down all weeds +coming through. Then we let it go as long as we can, +possibly two weeks, and at the appearance of weeds +we take an ordinary sweet-potato ridger having a<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_153" id="Page_153">[Pg 153]</a></span> +plow on either side and run it astride the row, covering +everything in the row. Doing this on Saturday afternoon +holds the asparagus back over the following +day. Then we take the middle out with a one-horse +cultivator. This is done probably three times during +the cutting season, which is eight weeks. With the +help of one of these weeders, which we use at least once +a week, we keep the bed quite clean of all weeds, and +this I consider very essential. The cultivation should +continue after cutting until the top growth becomes so +large as to protect the ground, and then there will be +but little trouble late in the season about weeds. It +doesn't pay to grow them anywhere, and especially not +in asparagus beds.</p> + +<p>In planting, the ground should be well prepared +and furrowed out eight inches in depth, four and one-half +feet apart, and the plants two and one-half feet in +the row, with a little fine manure in bottom of row; +put about two inches of soil on the plants to cover. +Then as the sprouts come up, keep on filling the +furrows by cultivation.</p> + +<p>I have been using some commercial manures the +past two years, applying at the rate of one ton to the +acre about the rows in the spring; then nearly a ton of +salt to the acre applied at any time. It helps keep +weeds down and gives the asparagus a good flavor. +Above all, do not forget to apply the fertilizer, and +Plenty, with a big "P," of it—either stable manure or +commercial fertilizers. Probably there will be less +weeds by using the latter, but there needs to be a great +deal of the former in the beginning for several years, +to give the bed a good body of rich earth, from which<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_154" id="Page_154">[Pg 154]</a></span> +the plants feed. It appears to me this is the secret of +success.</p> + +<p>Much depends upon how asparagus is put up for +the market, making it look attractive, in nice, clean, +new crates and neatly prepared bunches, and the stalks +must be large, tender, and of good flavor. Grass from +a strong bed grown in twenty-four hours is much more +tender and better in every way than grass grown in +forty-eight hours from a poor bed. We are compelled +to cut every twenty-four hours, or the asparagus would +waste, and the gathering is accomplished in about three +and one-half hours each day, early in the morning.</p> + +<p> +<span class="smcap" style="margin-left: 25em;">Joel Borton.</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 5em;"><small><i>Salem County, N. J.</i></small></span><br /> +</p> + + +<h4>ASPARAGUS IN THE SOUTH</h4> + +<p>There is no crop grown by the Southern trucker +that has paid better than asparagus year after year. +With many of the other truck crops sent North the +growers have to contend with a host of planters +who rush in at times to plant certain crops like +early potatoes, peas, and beans, and whose inferior +crops often glut the market and make the season +unprofitable all around. These men drop out after +a season that their particular venture did not pay, and +the regular truckers, being well aware that they would +do so, always redouble their efforts the year after a +bad season with any particular crop, knowing from +experience that then it would be certain to be profitable.</p> + +<p>But the asparagus crop is one into which the tem<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_155" id="Page_155">[Pg 155]</a></span>porary +growers can not jump in and out of, for the +crop requires special preparation of the soil and patient +waiting and culture pending the time for reaping a +harvest, and the men who are always ready to jump +into the annual crops always wish to realize at once, +and do not generally have the capital to put into a +crop that requires several years before realizing. +Hence the asparagus crop has been left to the regular +market gardeners, and has been uniformly profitable +when well managed.</p> + +<p>As regards soil for asparagus in the South, it should +be deep, light, warm, and well drained, either naturally +or artificially. The level sandy soils that abound +in all the South Atlantic Coast region, having a compact +subsoil of reddish clay under it at a moderate +depth, makes the ideal soil for the early asparagus.</p> + +<p>In preparing such a soil for the crop, it is well to +be thorough in the matter, for the crop is to remain +there indefinitely, and if success is to be expected the +previous preparation should be of the most thorough +character. Hence, as the soils best adapted to the +growth of the plant are commonly deficient in vegetable +matter, which desirable characteristic can only +be found in abundance on the lands too low and +moist for the asparagus crop, some preparatory culture +should be used that will tend to increase the amount of +organic decay in the soil.</p> + +<p>For this purpose there is nothing better than the +Southern field or cow pea. The land should be prepared +by giving it a heavy dressing of acid phosphate +and potash; and putting it in peas sown broadcast at the +rate of a bushel or more per acre. With a heavy dressing<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_156" id="Page_156">[Pg 156]</a></span> +of the mineral fertilizers the pea crop will be heavy, +and should be allowed to fully ripen and decay on the +land, to be plowed under, and the process repeated the +following year. In the mean time the seed should be +sown for the growth of the roots for setting the land.</p> + +<p>Two crops of cow-peas allowed to die on the land +and turned under will give a store of vegetable +matter that would be hard to get in any other manner. +While heavy manuring with stable manures is very +desirable where the material can be had at a reasonable +cost, the larger part, and, in fact, nearly all of the +Southern asparagus, must be grown by the aid of chemical +fertilizers, and the storing up of humus in the +land from the decaying peas is an important factor in +the placing of the soil in a condition to render the +chemical fertilizers of more use, since the moisture-retaining +nature of the organic matter plays an important +part in the solution of matters in the soil. +Aside from this, there will be a large increase in the +nitrogen contents of the soil through the nitrification +of this organic matter.</p> + +<p>The second crop of peas should be plowed under in +late fall when perfectly ripe and dead, so that the land +can be gotten into condition for planting in early +spring. The land should be thoroughly plowed, and +if the clay subsoil comes near the surface it should be +loosened with the subsoil plow. Furrows are then +run out four and a half to five feet apart, going twice +in the furrow, and then cleaning out with shovels till +there is a trench a foot deep. In the bottom of this +trench place a good coat of black earth from the forest, +or, if well-rotted manure can be had, use that of course.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_157" id="Page_157">[Pg 157]</a></span> +Set the plants twenty inches apart in the furrow, and +by means of hand-rakes pull in enough earth to barely +cover the crowns.</p> + +<p>As growth begins, the soil is to be gradually +worked in around the advancing shoots till the soil is +level. Now give a dressing of 1,000 pounds per acre, +alongside the rows, of a mixture of 900 pounds of acid +phosphate, 500 pounds of fish scrap, 200 pounds of +nitrate of soda, and 400 pounds of muriate of potash, +and keep the plants cultivated shallowly and flat with +an ordinary cultivator till the tops are mature. An +application of salt may be useful if applied in the fall +in making some matters in the soil available, but salt +in itself is of no use whatever to the plants. We +would never apply salt in the spring, as it has a tendency +to lessen nitrification and to retard the earliness +of the shoots.</p> + +<p>The annual dressing of the fertilizer named should +now be increased to a ton per acre, and it should +be applied not later than February 1st in each +year. After the tops have been cut in the fall it is a +good plan to plow furrows from each side over the +rows and to plow out the middles, for the shoots will +always start earlier in an elevated ridge, which warms +up earlier in the spring.</p> + +<p>The second year after planting cutting may begin, +and the shoots must be cut as fast as they show, care +being taken to cut down near the crown of the roots, +but not to injure the other shoots that may be starting. +After cutting is over—and the length of time the +bed should be cut is of little importance in the South, +for the price at the point where it is shipped will<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_158" id="Page_158">[Pg 158]</a></span> +always tell you when to stop—the soil should be again +worked down flat, and if the growth has not been as +satisfactory as could be wished, a dressing of 100 +pounds per acre of nitrate of soda at this time will +usually pay very well. Asparagus should always be +bunched in a machine made for that purpose. The +bunches are packed in crates just deep enough to hold +the bunches set upright on a bed of moss, and a cover +of the same damp moss should be placed on top.</p> + +<p>Where there is a demand for green asparagus the +planting should be done more shallowly in a simple +furrow, and the entire culture should be flat and shallow. +The shoots are cut at the surface of the ground +after they have attained the proper length. One thing +is to be observed in either method, and this is that +during the cutting season everything long enough +must be cut daily, and that the little shoots be not +allowed to run up and branch out. Cull the shoots +after they are all out and bunch accordingly. Green +shoots should be bunched by themselves and not +mixed with the blanched ones. None but new, light +crates should be used, for a clean and neat package +will always favor its contents in the selling.</p> + +<p> +<span class="smcap" style="margin-left: 25em;">W. F. Massey.</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 5em;"><small><i>North Carolina Agricultural Experiment Station.</i></small></span><br /> +</p> + + +<h4>ASPARAGUS CULTURE IN CALIFORNIA</h4> + +<p>The growing of asparagus for market in California +is proving to be one of the most successful of +its minor industries. There is a large area in the +State which is exactly suited to the production of +this vegetable. This is the region of sedimentary<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_159" id="Page_159">[Pg 159]</a></span> +deposits, washed by waters that are to some extent +brackish, or naturally saline. Commercial asparagus +farming is limited to the reclaimed lands around +the bay of San Francisco, the marshy deltas of the +San Joaquin and Sacramento rivers, and the so-called +peat lands of Orange and San Luis Obispo counties. +Small beds, however, for local consumption are +to be found in California as generally and frequently +as they are in other States.</p> + +<p>There is a fascination about asparagus culture that +is founded on legitimate financial returns. It is practically +"a sure thing" when once established, and +the conditions of climate and soil are such that the +work attendant on production is a minimum in proportion +to the return. No diseases of the plant have +yet shown themselves in California, and it is seldom +that the weather is unsteady enough to be a factor in +limiting production. The deterring feature is the +fact that it is not till the third year that a return can +be expected on the investment. But as other crops, +such as potatoes and beans, can be grown between the +rows in the interim, the time of waiting is not so +entirely an unproductive one as might at first be supposed.</p> + +<p>The methods of preparing, planting, and working +are practically the same in all sections of California. +The proposed beds are plowed as deeply as possible +and thoroughly fertilized. All of the soils appropriate +for commercial asparagus farming are so light that +deep cultivation is a comparatively easy matter. Furrows +for planting are then run and made double depth. +Some growers think it worth while to distribute fer<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_160" id="Page_160">[Pg 160]</a></span>tilizer +along these furrows and then turn for a third +time, so as to enrich the ground immediately below the +roots to be set out. These furrows are run from four +to six feet apart, the latter being considered the better +usage. In them one-year-old plants are then set by +hand at distances varying from eighteen inches to +three feet. The former distance is preferred by the +Italian growers on Bay Farm Island in San Francisco +Bay, but the Southern growers and those along +the Sacramento River lean to the greater distance. +The only difference seems to be whether there will be +sufficient nutriment in the soil to force the plant into +giving as large and tender shoots as where each plant +is allowed a larger area. The plants are set with the +crowns about four inches below the surface and the +roots are carefully spread out before covering. Planting +is done any time from November to April, but the +middle of February is perhaps the most common time.</p> + +<p>The culture for the first year consists in keeping +the soil loose and free from weeds. Ordinarily other +crops are grown between the rows, and their cultivation +serves to keep the ground in proper condition. +The asparagus is allowed to come up, feather, and seed +without interference, no cutting being done the first +year. Care, however, is taken to cut off the tops +close to the ground in the fall before the seed begins +to drop—the volunteer asparagus being the worst +enemy in culture with which the grower has to deal. +About the beginning of the rainy season a heavy coating +of manure is placed over the beds and left to be +leeched in by the rains.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_161" id="Page_161">[Pg 161]</a></span></p> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 640px;"> +<img src="images/i170.jpg" width="640" height="406" alt="" title="" /> +<span class="caption">FIG. 48—VIEW OF ASPARAGUS FIELD ON BOULDIN ISLAND, CALIFORNIA</span> +</div><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_162" id="Page_162">[Pg 162]</a></span></p> +<p>The second year some growers cut more or less for +market, but the bed is then longer in coming to its +full strength and will not give so large a product the +following years. There is a variation in the spring +working, according to the nature of the land. Where +the soil has a tendency to be cold, the first plowing is +away from the rows, so as to let the sun more quickly +down to the starting plants. Where the soil is light, +or the season forward, this plowing is omitted. The +latter plowings are toward the rows, the effort being +by ridging to give a long blanched surface to the +shoots. For the canneries where nothing but the +white product is put up, the shoots are cut the instant +they show their tips above the surface. The local +market shows a preference for the greener shoot, and +so before cutting it is allowed to stretch itself up into +the light. The third year regular cutting begins, and +from that time forward the beds increase in the quantity +and quality of the product for the next fifteen +years.</p> + +<p>The methods of marketing are somewhat different +from those practiced in the East. Little or none of the +asparagus is bunched. It is packed loose in boxes +holding from forty to fifty pounds, and the loose +product is retailed to the consumer by the pound. The +first boxes begin to go out by the beginning of February, +though small quantities can be seen in market +as early as January 15th. The canning contracts run, +as a rule, from March 1st to June 15th. After that the +weather is so dry that the yield stops unless the beds +are irrigated. In most sections, however, irrigation is +not necessary up to this time.</p> + +<p>A notable exception to this is Bouldin Island, in<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_163" id="Page_163">[Pg 163]</a></span> +the San Joaquin River. This is reclaimed land, and +lies some six or eight feet below the surface of the +water. The soil is river silt on a peat stratum +thirty feet deep. The top is so fine and friable that +it does not, in spite of the surrounding river, hold +enough moisture to keep the vegetation alive during +the hot spring months. A north wind in May would +lift up the whole surface of the island and carry it away +in dust. It is an easy matter, however, to let in water +through the dikes, and this is done in sufficient +quantities to keep the soil in place.</p> + +<p>The question of profit in asparagus growing is one +that can only be treated in a relative way. The +industry is as yet so new, and instances of phenomenal +returns from small holdings are so many, that it is hard +to arrive at what might be called a commercial ratio +of gain. It is safe to say, however, that with ordinary +care there has never been an actual loss with +asparagus culture in California. A low estimate of +profit is probably $50 per acre. The cost of preparation +and planting where diking has not been +necessary has seldom been more than $100 per acre. +The gross returns taken from recent years' reports +vary from $100 to $200 per acre, so that it can readily +be seen that the return to the asparagus farmer is very +fair. Most of the farms in California are in rented +land. The Bay Farm Island people pay a ground rent +of $50 per acre. On Bouldin Island the rental is on a +basis of 40 per cent. of the net proceeds. In Fig. 48 +is presented a view of a fully established asparagus +field on Bouldin Island.</p> + +<p> +<span class="smcap" style="margin-left: 25em;">Warren Cheney.</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 5em;"><small><i>Alameda County, Cal.</i></small></span><br /> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_164" id="Page_164">[Pg 164]</a></span></p> + + +<h4>ASPARAGUS IN FRANCE</h4> + +<p>Asparagus is grown much more abundantly and to +a much larger size in France than in England. The +country is half covered with it in some places near +Paris; farmers grow it abundantly, cottagers grow it, +and everybody eats it. Near Paris it is chiefly grown +for market in the valley of Montmorency and at Argenteuil, +and it is cultivated extensively for market in +many other places. About Argenteuil several thousand +persons are employed in the culture of asparagus.</p> + +<p>It is grown to a large extent among the grape-vines +as well as alone. The vine under field culture is cut +down to near the old stool every year, and allowed to +make a few growths which are tied erect to a stake. +One plant is put in each open spot, and given every +chance of forming a large specimen, and this it generally +does. The growing of asparagus among the vines +is a very usual mode, and a vast space is thus covered +with it about here.</p> + +<p>It is also grown in other and special ways. Perhaps +the simplest and most worthy of adoption is to +grow it in shallow trenches. These are usually about +four feet apart. The soil generally is a rather stiff +sandy loam with calcareous matter in some parts, but +the soil has not all to do with the peculiar excellence +of the vegetable. It is the careful attention to the +wants of the plant which produce such good results. +Here, for instance, is a young plantation planted in +March; and from the little ridges of soil between the +trenches have just been dug a crop of small early +potatoes. In England the asparagus would be left to<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_165" id="Page_165">[Pg 165]</a></span> +the free action of the breeze, but the French cultivators +never leave a young plant of asparagus to the wind's +mercy while they can find a stake of oak about a yard +long.</p> + +<p>When staking these young plants they do not insert +the support close to the bottom, as we are too apt to do +in other instances, but a little distance off, so as to avoid +the possibility of injuring the root; each stake leans over +its plant at an angle of forty-five degrees, and when +the shoots are big enough to touch it, or to be caught by +the wind, they are tied to the stake. The ground in +which this system is pursued being entirely devoted to +asparagus, the stools are placed very much closer +together than they are among the vines—say, at a distance +of about a yard apart. The little trenches are +about a foot wide and eight inches deep.</p> + +<p>The best asparagus in France is grown at Argenteuil +and by one system mainly. The plants—one-year +seedlings (never older)—are planted in shallow trenches +seven or eight inches deep, the plants a little more than +one yard apart and the lines four feet apart. No +manure is given at planting; no trenching or any +preparation of the ground, beyond digging the shallow +trench, takes place. In subsequent years a little +manure is given over the roots in autumn; the soil, +thrown out of the trenches and forming a ridge between +them, is planted with a light crop in spring. In all +subsequent years the earth is placed over the crowns +in spring and removed in autumn.</p> + +<p>Under this system good results are obtained in +various soils, the only difference being that on cold +clay soils the planting is not quite so deep. Every<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_166" id="Page_166">[Pg 166]</a></span> +winter the growers notice the state of the young roots, +and any spot in which one has perished they mark +with a stick, to replace the plant the following March. +Early every spring they pile up a little heap of fine +earth over each crown. When the plantation arrives +at its third year they increase the size of the mound, +or, in other words, a heap of finely pulverized earth is +placed over the stool, from which some, but not much, +asparagus is cut the same year, taking care to leave the +weak plants and those which have replaced others +untouched for another year.</p> + +<p>The process of gathering is interesting to the +stranger. Asparagus knives of various forms are +described in both French and English books, but one +is confidently told by the growers that they are only +fitted for amateurs who do not care to soil their fingers. +The cultivators here never use a knife, the work being +done with the hands. Gatherings are made every +second day about the end of April, but in May when +the growth is more active the stools are gathered from +every day.</p> + +<p>The French mode of cultivating asparagus differs +from the English principally in giving each plant +abundant room to develop into a large healthy specimen, +in paying thoughtful attention to the plants at +all times, and in planting in trenches instead of a +raised bed. They do not, as is done in England, go +to great expense in forming a mass of the richest soil +far beneath the roots, but rather give it at the surface, +and only when the roots have begun to grow strongly.—<span class="smcap">W. +Robinson</span>, in "Parks and Gardens of Paris."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_167" id="Page_167">[Pg 167]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="INDEX" id="INDEX"></a>INDEX</h2> + + +<p> +<span style="margin-left: 11em;">PAGE</span><br /> +American varieties, <a href="#Page_18">18</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Barr's Mammoth, <a href="#Page_18">18</a></span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Columbian Mammoth White, <a href="#Page_19">19</a></span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Conover's Colossal, <a href="#Page_19">19</a></span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Donald's Elmira, <a href="#Page_19">19</a></span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Eclipse, <a href="#Page_19">19</a></span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Hub, <a href="#Page_20">20</a></span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Mammoth, <a href="#Page_20">20</a></span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Moore's Cross-bred, <a href="#Page_20">20</a></span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Palmetto, <a href="#Page_20">20</a></span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Purple top or green top, <a href="#Page_21">21</a></span><br /> +<br /> +Asparagus culture in different localities, <a href="#Page_145">145</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">in New England, <a href="#Page_145">145</a></span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">on Long Island, <a href="#Page_150">150</a></span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">in New Jersey, <a href="#Page_152">152</a></span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">in the South, <a href="#Page_154">154</a></span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">in California, <a href="#Page_158">158</a></span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">in France, <a href="#Page_164">164</a></span><br /> +<br /> +Asparagus species, <a href="#Page_6">6</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">plumosus nanus, <a href="#Page_6">6</a></span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">medeoloides, <a href="#Page_6">6</a></span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Sprengeri, <a href="#Page_6">6</a></span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">falcatus, <a href="#Page_8">8</a></span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">laricinus, <a href="#Page_8">8</a></span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">racemosus, <a href="#Page_10">10</a></span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">sarmentosus, <a href="#Page_10">10</a></span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Broussoneti, <a href="#Page_13">13</a></span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">officinalis, <a href="#Page_13">13</a></span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">acutifolius, <a href="#Page_16">16</a></span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">aphyllus, <a href="#Page_16">16</a></span><br /> +<br /> +<br /> +Botany, <a href="#Page_4">4</a><br /> +<br /> +Bunchers, <a href="#Page_91">91</a><br /> +<br /> +Bunching, <a href="#Page_89">89</a><br /> +<br /> +<br /> +Canning, <a href="#Page_112">112</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Eastern methods, <a href="#Page_112">112</a></span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Pacific coast methods, <a href="#Page_118">118</a></span><br /> +<br /> +Crates, <a href="#Page_96">96</a><br /> +<br /> +Cultivation, <a href="#Page_61">61</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">the first year, <a href="#Page_61">61</a></span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">the second year, <a href="#Page_64">64</a></span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">the third and future years, <a href="#Page_66">66</a></span><br /> +<br /> +Cultural varieties, <a href="#Page_17">17</a><br /> +<br /> +Cutting, <a href="#Page_83">83</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Manner of, <a href="#Page_84">84</a></span><br /> +<br /> +<br /> +Drying, <a href="#Page_122">122</a><br /> +<br /> +<br /> +Edible species, <a href="#Page_13">13</a><br /> +<br /> +European varieties, <a href="#Page_21">21</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">German Giant, <a href="#Page_22">22</a></span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Argenteuil, <a href="#Page_22">22</a></span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Yellow Burgundy, <a href="#Page_22">22</a></span><br /> +<br /> +<br /> +Fall treatment, <a href="#Page_68">68</a><br /> +<br /> +Fertilizers and fertilizing, <a href="#Page_72">72</a><br /> +<br /> +Forcing, <a href="#Page_100">100</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">in greenhouse, <a href="#Page_101">101</a></span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">in hotbeds and frames, <a href="#Page_103">103</a></span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">in field, <a href="#Page_104">104</a></span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">in Cornell asparagus house, <a href="#Page_110">110</a></span><br /> +<br /> +Fungus diseases, <a href="#Page_137">137</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Asparagus rust, <a href="#Page_137">137</a></span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Asparagus leopard spot, <a href="#Page_144">144</a></span><br /> +<br /> +<br /> +Growing asparagus without transplanting, <a href="#Page_32">32</a><br /> +<br /> +<br /> +Harvesting and marketing, <a href="#Page_83">83</a><br /> +<br /> +Historical sketch, <a href="#Page_1">1</a><br /> +<br /> +<br /> +Insects, <a href="#Page_126">126</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Common asparagus beetle, <a href="#Page_126">126</a></span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Twelve-spotted asparagus beetle, <a href="#Page_133">133</a></span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Spotted ladybird, <a href="#Page_130">130</a></span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Asparagus miner, <a href="#Page_135">135</a></span><br /> +<br /> +<br /> +Knives, <a href="#Page_88">88</a><br /> +<br /> +<br /> +Male and female plants, <a href="#Page_40">40</a><br /> +<br /> +Marketing, <a href="#Page_96">96</a><br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_168" id="Page_168">[Pg 168]</a></span>Ornamental species, <a href="#Page_6">6</a><br /> +<br /> +<br /> +Planting, <a href="#Page_49">49</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Distance to plant, <a href="#Page_50">50</a></span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Depth of, <a href="#Page_53">53</a></span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Manner of, <a href="#Page_54">54</a></span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Placing the roots, <a href="#Page_59">59</a></span><br /> +<br /> +Plants, Raising of, <a href="#Page_30">30</a><br /> +<br /> +Pot-grown asparagus plants, <a href="#Page_36">36</a><br /> +<br /> +Preparation of the ground, <a href="#Page_45">45</a><br /> +<br /> +Preserving asparagus, <a href="#Page_112">112</a><br /> +<br /> +<br /> +Raising of plants, <a href="#Page_30">30</a><br /> +<br /> +Renovating old asparagus beds, <a href="#Page_70">70</a><br /> +<br /> +Rubber bands, <a href="#Page_93">93</a><br /> +<br /> +<br /> +Salt as a fertilizer, <a href="#Page_81">81</a><br /> +<br /> +Seed-growing, <a href="#Page_26">26</a><br /> +<br /> +Selection of plants, <a href="#Page_38">38</a><br /> +<br /> +Soil and its preparation, <a href="#Page_43">43</a><br /> +<br /> +Sorting, <a href="#Page_89">89</a><br /> +<br /> +Sorting and bunching, <a href="#Page_89">89</a><br /> +<br /> +Sterilizing, <a href="#Page_116">116</a><br /> +<br /> +Subsoiling, <a href="#Page_47">47</a><br /> +<br /> +<br /> +Transplanting, Growing asparagus without, <a href="#Page_32">32</a><br /> +<br /> +Tying material, <a href="#Page_92">92</a><br /> +<br /> +<br /> +Variety tests, <a href="#Page_22">22</a><br /> +</p> + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Asparagus, its culture for home use +and for market:, by F. 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