187:;. ] 



GARDEN GOSSIP. 



237 



:x Lrlanco, to bo bunches of young Wheat-cars tied up. The morning's reflection convinced us 

 that this could not bo, and, moreover, revealed that they wore the young flower-scapes of 

 ( )rnithogalum pyrenaicuni, and on visiting the market we saw a quantity of them, of which 

 wo pun^hased a sample, under the name of "Wild Asparagus.' Part of the supply we 

 entrusted to our artist-pictorial, the result of which is before the reader; the remainder we 

 consigned to our urtist-culinary, and her success was such that all who partook d(>clared it to 



Bath Aspar.i.8us. 



be the best substitute for Asparagus yet tried, better by far than the Hop-tops, of which our 

 Belgian and Dutch friends make so much, and better than any 'green corn' we have yet 

 tasted, in spite of what our American friends may say, and better a great deal than Hawthorn 

 leaves. How abundant the plant must he about Bath, and yet in other towns close by, where 

 vre made inquiry, it was not known. The abundance of the supply in Bath market was such, 

 that we can hardly imagine that it was all wild, some must surely have come from the 

 cottage gardens." 



^HE value of tlie Salvia pate)is for mixed borders can scarcely be over- 



rated, no plant of the same blue colour being equal to it for summer bedding. 

 But it is scarce. The following successful plan of cultivation, recommended by Mr. 

 Taylor, of Botcherby. may help to make it more plentiful. As soon as the plants are injured 

 by frost in autumn they are lifted and cut over, afterwards put pretty thickly into ordinary 

 bedding plant-boxes, with a few handfuls of soil to each root, well watered, and set in any warm 

 place to make them break, which they will soon do. When the young shoots are about an 

 inch or two in length, they are removed to a cooler place amongst the bedding plants until 

 March, when they may be divided into the desired quantity, and be potted singly, or returned 

 to the boxes. A good stock of strong plants will thus be secured. 



