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AN ENCYCLOPAEDIA 
OF HORTICULTURE. 123 
Asparagus—continued. 
unarmed, Stem herbaceous, mostly erect, rounded, v much 
branched, h. lft. Said to grow on “As s Island,” 
Kynance Cove, Lizard, but we have never found it there, and it 
has probably long since been exterminated. 
A. Rna (plumed).* f. white, small, produced from the tips 
the branchlets. Spring. l, true ones in the form of minute 
deltoid scales, with an acute ultimately reflexed point; the false 
ones are hp eae in tufts, each being jin. to jin. long, bristle- 
shaped, and finely pointed. South Africa, 1876. An elegant 
evergreen climber, with smooth stems and numerous ipreatitiog 
branches. It forms an excellent plant when trained in pots, and 
is invaluable for cutting. 
A. p. nanus (dwarf).* A very elegant dwarf variety of above. 
Stems tufted, slender, and gracefully arching. South Africa, 1880. 
For bouquets, the cut sprays of both type and variety have the 
advantage of much gieater persistency than any fern, retaining 
their freshness in water from three to four weeks. See Fig. 161, 
for which we are indebted to Messrs, Veitch and Sons, 
A. racemosus (racemose). jl. greenish-white, in many-flowered 
axillary racemes. May. ¿ bundled, linear-subulate, falcate; 
branches striated ; prickles solitary. h. 3ft., India, 1808. Green- 
house evergreen shrub. 
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Fic. 161. ASPARAGUS PLUMOSUS NANUS. 
A. ramosissimus (very branching). 7.”solitary, at the tips of the 
branchlets ; pedicels hardly perpendicular, one and a-half to two 
lines long ; cream coloured. June. l. obscurely spurred at the base ; 
false leaves three to eight-nate, flattened; linear-falcate acute, 
jin. to Zin. long, spreading. South Africa, 1862. A wide climbing, 
copiously branched, slender greenhouse shrub, with very nume- 
rous spreading or ascending branches and branchlets. 
A. scandens (climbing).* jl. whitish, axillary on the ultimate 
branchlets, succeeded by round orange-coloured berries. The 
annual, much-branched, unarmed stems bear, usually in threes, 
numerous small linear-pointed leaves, which on the ultimate 
branches spread nearly in one plane. Cape of Good Hope, 1795. 
An elegant climbing greenhouse perennial. 
A. virgatus (twiggy).* A remarkably elegant feathery-looking 
plant, of n abit. The stems, which issue from the crown 
of the stout fleshy roots, are of a dark green colour, and bear at 
the upper end a corymbose head of erect branches. of which the 
lowest is the youngest or most recently developed. ‘These branches 
are again twice branched, the ultimate branchlets being furnished 
with needle-shaped false leaves, 4in. long, which usually grow in 
threes, South Africa, 1862. 
ASPARAGUS BEETLE (Crioceris asparagi), or 
“Cross-bearer.” This beautiful little insect is blue- 
black or greenish; the thorax is red with two black 
spots, and the wing-cases are yellow, with a black cross 
on them; the legs and antenne are black. The short grey 
larva is flat underneath, arched on the back, and covered 
with hairs. The sides are of an olive hue, and the little 
legs and head are black. It ejects a drop of blackish 
Beetle—continued. 
fluid from the mouth when touched. When full grown, 
which takes about a fortnight, the larva measures about 
two lines in length; the average length of the perfect 
Beetle is about three lines. Although this insect does 
not, actudlly destroy the plants, it inflicts much damage 
on the foliage, and checks the growth of the stems after 
they have attained some size, in consequence of which 
the foliage becomes much less in the next season. The 
eggs are fixed to the shoots, and are small, dark, pointed 
bodies. The larve do the harm, as they feed on the 
bark and tender portions of the plants. The mature 
Beetles should be picked off by hand, and, by commencing 
early enough in the season, their numbers will be greatly 
reduced. Syringing the plants with water, heated to a 
temperature that will not injure the plants, is found a 
useful method for removing the grubs. 
White Hellebore. Freshly-ground White Hellebore, 
sprinkled over the foliage while it is damp, and repeat- 
“a 
a : a 
x 
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ing the operation at intervals of about eight days for 
a season, will generally effect a riddance; but the follow- 
ing will usually be found better in such cases. Neither 
must be applied until after cutting ceases, as they are 
very poisonous. 
Paris Green. This, mixed and used as for Cherry Fly 
(see Black Fly), will generally get rid of the Beetle, if 
applied about thrice each season for two years. It should, 
however, only be used in severe cases. 
Soot, applied in the same manner as White Hellebore, 
and in liberal quantities, will, in a season or two, clear — 
the beds. If a bushel of salt be mixed with each twenty — 
bushels of soot, it will enhance the effect. sae 
ASPARAGUS KNIFE. The Asparagus Knife con- 
sists of a strong blade fixed in a handle. There are, or were, — 
three kinds employed: In one form, the blade was blunt on 
Fig. 162. ASPARAGUS KNIFE. ; 
both sides, straight, with a sharp tip, and not unlike a 
small chisel. Another had its blade slightly hooked, and 
serrated at one end. But the best is that now almost 
universally employed, and which is illustrated by Fig.. 162. : : = 
