360 THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 



weak, very little success can be expected, even with the greatest care, 

 at this season ; but for all this, much depends upon how they are 

 now managed ; for of all the three subjects I intend dealing with in 

 this paper, asparagus requires the most careful handling, so as to 

 get it strong, and with its full flavour. Where the expense can be 

 aflforded, there can be no doubt that permanent beds, with trenches 

 between for the reception of the fermenting materials, is the 

 best, and attended with the least degree of trouble ; but to go into 

 that thoroughly, would take up too much space at this moment. I 

 shall, therefore, confine myself to taking the roots up, and forcing 

 them in temporary contrivances. To get asparagus good, and with 

 its full flavour, it must have an abundance of light and air admitted 

 to it directly the young shoots begin to peep above ground. There 

 are certain exceptions to this way of growing it, for some people 

 prefer seeing on the table a bundle of what bears as strong a resem- 

 blance to peeled osiers as it does to asparagus ; and what is of about 

 as much use, so far as its consumption goes. But I suppose the 

 majority of my readers to be desirous of growing asparagus for eat- 

 ing, and shall make my remarks accordingly ; as for those desirous 

 of growing it to look at, I must leave them to find out the best way 

 to spoil it for themselves, — I can be no party to it. It is of very 

 little consequence whether the forcing is carried on by the aid of fire 

 heat or fermenting materials, so long as the two grand essentials to 

 success, light and air, can be had full command over. In either case, 

 a nice bed of sweet fermenting materials should be made up, upon 

 which the roots are to be placed. I prefer leaves for this purpose, 

 as the heat derived from them is steadier, and lasts a greater length 

 of time than manure. To keep up a regular supply, a couple of 

 two-light frames ought to be put into requisition ; one can then be 

 in preparation whilst the other is in bearing. We w^ill suppose that 

 fermenting materials alone are used, the beds should be made up 

 four or five feet in depth, with materials that have been thoroughly 

 sweetened by frequent turnings, and the frames placed on it. In 

 two or three days after this is done, the entire surface ought to be 

 covered with turf sods, not less than two inches in thickness, to re- 

 duce the risk of burning to the lowest possible minimum ; and upon 

 these about four inches of fine soil or rotten leaf-mould placed for the 

 reception of the roots. In taking up the roots, a certain amount of 

 care should be exercised to prevent their being broken about. It is 

 of little consequence how old the roots are, so long as they are strong 

 and vigorous ; but they are of little use before they are four or five 

 years old. After the roots are taken up, they should be packed closely- 

 together on the bed, and then covered firmly with four or five inches of 

 soil, working it well in between the roots. The soil is of little or no 

 use in assisting the crop beyond keeping an equable degree of moisture 

 about the roots. If the soil is nice and moist when first put on, 

 little or no water will be required from the time of introducing the 

 roots until they have done bearing, if grown on dung beds. Where 

 the top heat is derived from hot-water pipes, frequent waterings will 

 be necessary to keep the bed moist. With respect to watering, a 

 sharp look-out must be kept to guard against the bed getting too 



