WALKS ROUND MY GARDEN. 



by a high artificial cultivation, and within certain bounds the shoots may be cut off 

 without materially deteriorating the plants. "Knowing when to stop is therefore the 

 grand secret in growing this delicious vegetable, for the less the roots are stimulated 

 by the effort of reproduction, the finer will be the product next year. In order, 

 therefore, to have sufiicient for a family, it is desirable the beds should be so 

 extensive as to allow of enough being gathered without weakening the plants. In 

 large gardens I would suggest a succession of beds, one set out this year being 

 allowed an almost uninterrupted growth till next year; in this way Asparagus could 

 not degenerate. 



It is a practice with some gardeners to plant lettuce in the vacant spaces in the 

 beds, and to allow weeds to obtain a footing, abstracting from the soil that nutriment 

 which its exhausted owner so much needed. Every weed should be kept down, 

 and as the growth proceeds, liquid manure should be applied. The properties of 

 salt in relation to Asparagus ought to be well understood by this time. Before rain, 

 all the bed should be strewn over with salt, so as just to cover the ground. This 

 repeated two or three times while the stems are growing, will be productive of great 

 good. Thus with the aid of the sun, air, and manure, it will gratefully repay you; 

 sufficient nutriment will be stored up in the roots, to push forth fine Asparagus 

 shoots next year. Moderation in cutting, and skill in growing the stems and foliage, 

 are thus the two grand conditions to be observed. 



An objector at my elbow declares it is his belief that the salt and the manure 

 added to the labor, will make every mess of Asparagus cost as much as what he 

 buys in market. I have no doubt of it, but then — what do we get in repayment; 

 an article four times as good, one quarter of which is worth the whole bunch that 

 you buy; you get nourishment, instead of a very bad temper, to digest your food. 



One more observation should not be omitted — keep your plants at some distance 

 from each other, for the stalks can never grow so large when crowded together, as 

 when they have space to receive the sun and air on the surface. 



WALKS ROUND MY GARDEN. 



BY ALPUONSE KARR. 



The Sausage Tree. 



A man was once pointed out to me whom credulity had rendered absolutely mad. At 

 first, a person had innocently said to him, pointing to a peasant with some flax-seed in 

 his hand, " There is a man sowing shirts." He smiled. It was then explained to him 

 seriously and truly, that from this seed would grow a plant, which, by means of pre- 

 parations, would become excellent cloth, and that from this cloth shirts would be made. 

 This idea did not find entrance into his brain without causing a little tumult there, and 

 the people around him continued to amuse themselves with cramming him with the most 

 absurd ideas upon the vegetable kingdom. 



day they told him that there was in the king's garden a sausage-tree of great beauty 

 What do you mean by a sausage-tree?" asked ho. 



