Forcing In The Greenhouse

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 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.



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 deg. to 50 deg. is best, at

first. Afterward it should be raised to 55 deg. to 60 deg., and during

the day it may rise as high as 80 deg. to 85 deg. 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.



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 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.