Show asparagus harvest time shown by actual tests asparagus which ranks as one of the leading truck ere crops ps of illinois with a total value of more than halt half a million dollars in 1930 1030 should not be cut severely until the second year after the plantation Is set and in some cases not until the third year according to a seven year experiment conducted by the college of agriculture university of illinois severe cutting ot of asparagus Is injurious both to yield and market quality the injury increases in proportion to the severity of the cutting A prolonged cutting season lessens the growing period of the tops and thereby restricts the food supply that Is manufactured in the tops and stored to in the fleshy roots with a limited food supply there Is 19 a reduction in the yield the following season comparing the yields of the experimental plots the plot cut heavily the first year returned only M 09 pounds of asparagus during the seven year period while the plot cut lightly the first season gave a total yield ot of pounds starting the harvest the second year proved advantageous with a total yield of pounds for the seven years from the plot harvested rather severely but the maximum yield of pounds was gained from the bed cut only lightly the second year and medium the third season the plot orb on which harvest was not begun until the third year gave a total of pounds if an asparagus plantation has made a poor growth during the first and second years after setting it Is suggested that the first cutting be delayed until the third year or at most that the cutting be very light the second year ordinarily however there Is no need for delaying at least a partial harvest until the third season |