eason.
The numbers mark their rank 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."

IV

SEED GROWING

The 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.

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 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.

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 whic