1869.] THE KITCHEN-GARDEN. 69 



gus does not succeed so well, under any circumstances, as it does in a 

 soil naturally suited to it ; and light deep sandy loams, when well 

 manured, cannot be approached for any length of time by any artificial 

 made-up soil in localities where the soil and subsoil are clayey and 

 wet. 



In making plantations of Asparagus, some lay out the ground into 

 4-feet beds, with paths between about 2 feet wide. In each bed three 

 rows are planted at about 18 inches apart. In preference to this, and 

 for the production of the finest possible samples, the plan of planting 

 in rows, 2 feet 9 inches or 3 feet apart, without forming the ground 

 into beds, is more to be recommended. Apart from this being the 

 simplest way, the extra room afforded gives far finer produce ; and the 

 economy of space in the production of so esteemed a vegetable is 

 questionable policy, for one finely-grown head or shoot is preferable to 

 three or four spindly tough ones. Closer planting crowds the tops too 

 much in the growing and ripening season, and, as a consequence, pre- 

 vents the full development of the crown for another year. 



Generally speaking, about the first or second week in April is the 

 best time to transplant from the seedling rows into the ground where 

 it is to remain. About this time it will usually have sprung about 

 an inch ; and although it can be transplanted when very much more 

 grown, there is less risk of injury just when commencing to grow, and 

 more chances of its starting into growth without being checked. It is 

 of great importance in lifting the young plants to preserve the roots 

 as entire as possible ; and the best way is to take out a trench the 

 contrary way to that in which the lines run, and undermine the plants, 

 and disentangle and remove them with as little breakage as possible. 

 Till planted, they require to be screened from drying sun and winds 

 by throwing mats over them. 



I know of no simpler and better way of planting than that of 

 stretching a line along the prepared ground, and cutting close to it on 

 each side in a slanting direction, leaving a ridge like two sides of a 

 triangle on which the young plants are set, with half their roots on 

 one side the ridge and half on the other. The depth to which the 

 cutting on each side of the line must extend is guided by the length 

 of the roots ; generally speaking, a foot is sufficient. The French 

 growers of Asparagus, instead of planting on the level, plant in 

 sunken trenches, which, for a climate like France, is no doubt correct 

 practice. 



Admitting that the crowns are sprung an inch or more, the depth 

 at which they are placed along the ridge should just be such that the 

 points of the young growths are covered about an inch when the ground 

 is levelled up over them. In heavy damp soils the ridge may be 



