From 1913:
Fill an asparagus boiler nearly full of hot salted water, bring it to a boil, and when this point is reached lay the asparagus in the water. Boil until the asparagus is tender, but not until it is soft or broken. Take it out carefully, stand it on end, the tips uppermost, in fruit jars. Turn the boiling water in which the asparagus was cooked into the jars, filling each to overflowing, and seal at once. Be sure that your rubbers are in perfect condition and that the tops fit closely. Keep the jars in a dark place.