  We consider the higher-order gravity theory derived from the quadratic
lagrangian $R+\epsilon R^2$ in vacuum as a first-order (ADM-type) system with
constraints, and build time developments of solutions of an initial value
formulation of the theory. We show that all such solutions, if analytic,
contain the right number of free functions to qualify as general solutions of
the theory. We further show that any regular analytic solution which satisfies
the constraints and the evolution equations can be given in the form of an
asymptotic formal power series expansion.
