1869.] THE KITCHEN-GARDEN. 71 



autumn is drawn away from the rows with a rake into the space be- 

 tween, when it is gently pricked into the soil with a fork, not going 

 too deep to injure the roots. Before this forking-in process is per- 

 formed, the soil is drawn back carefully from the crowns and a 

 dressing of fresh well-spent manure put in its place, and over it the 

 soil is returned. This should not be to a greater depth than about three 

 inches, manure and soil together. This winter and spring treatment 

 applies as much to after years as to the first after planting. The plan 

 sometimes practised, of throwing out the soil from the alleys on to the 

 surface of the beds in autumn, serves no purpose, except that of letting 

 the frost act upon the roots at the sides of the bed. Two or three 

 inches is covering sufiicient for all purposes, and as this is a vegetable 

 that is not easily overdone with manure, the best covering is good rich 

 manure. 



If all does well, the second year's growth is a strong one, and every 

 shoot should be allowed to grow. No good comes of cutting it the 

 second year, and even the third the cutting should be moderate, and 

 not continued later than the end of May. Sea-weed forms an excellent 

 manure for Asparagus in after years, and, where it can be procured, may 

 be liberally applied as a covering for winter, and also as a mulching in 

 summer. This, of course, can only be practised on the sea-board, 

 but common salt is an excellent substitute, and sprinklings of it can be 

 occasionally applied. And where the soil is really porous and suit- 

 able for this vegetable, liberal doses of the draining of dung-heaps, 

 guano, and such stimulants, may be applied regularly in summer with 

 much benefit. 



The French system of putting a heavy covering of earth or manure 

 over the crowns in spring, with the view of blanching the stalks, cannot 

 be too severely condemned ; and that which appears in the markets of 

 London thick and white with a green tip — the only eatable portion — is 

 as tough and worthless as a piece of sash-line. The blanching by this 

 process only renders all the blanched portion unfit for using. It is only 

 when it is nice and green from exposure to light and air that it is eat- 

 able at all, for no human being can masticate the white parts of it. 

 When about 6 to 7 inches above ground it is in good order for the 

 table. In cutting it, some leave a few of the growths from the very 

 commencement ; but I would recommend to cut all that comes up fit 

 for table while the season lasts. It is injurious to continue cutting 

 later than the end of the first week in June — it weakens the crowns, 

 and in time ruins them. 



Asparagus is one of the few vegetables that forces with great ease, 

 but from the expense of cultivating it and getting it in a good state 

 for forcing, it will always remain a high-priced vegetable in winter 



