206 HOW TO FORM AN ASPARAGUS BED. 



they sliould not in this way almost entirely desert the soil, it is 

 certainly necessary that the latter should not be rendered, by any 

 means, too obstructive to their ramifications throughout its mass. 

 I may take this opportunity of adding a word respecting 



CuthilVs Black Prince Strawberry . 



Runners of this sort of Strawberry were ordered to be potted 

 last summer for the purpose of trying its merits for forcing. The 

 plant is naturally of slender growth, too much so for throwing up 

 a sufficiently strong scape in forcing. Its setting is very preca- 

 rious ; but it is a little earlier than Keens* Seedling, yet it is in 

 every other respect so inferior to the latter, that it cannot be 

 recommended. It has neither size, beauty, nor flavour to render 

 it worthy of room in a forcinor-house. 



XVII. — How to form an Asparagus Bed. By Peter Kendall, 

 Esq., F.H.S., of the Marine Villa, Aldborough, Suffolk. 



On forming a new vegetable garden at my residence here 

 about four years since, 1 made of course a new Asparagus bed, 

 and finding it quite answer my expectations as to its productive- 

 ness and quality, and the plan I adopted being original, I send 

 you the particulars of its formation. 

 I set out my bed as follows : — 



60 feet long, 

 5 feet wide, 

 4 feet deep. 



The earth was all taken out and laid on one side the bed ; I then 

 placed at the bottom 2 feet deep of salt ooze, from the banks of 

 the Aide : 1^ feet deep of the river weed (a long grass) : 2 feet 

 of the best vegetable mould was then placed on the top, and the 

 young plants set out at 18 inches distance, all over the bed. 



Note by the Vice- Secretary. — It will be obvious that the me- 

 thod of proceeding adopted in this little experiment was founded 

 upon tlie most just conception of the nature of the Asparagus 

 plant. Deep rich loose soil for its roots, salt in moderation, and 

 the crown of the plant only just buried in earth, produced, as 

 might have been expected, heads of the finest Asparagus possible, 

 green, succulent, excellent in flavour, and in no respect inferior 

 to any that has been seen by the most experienced gardeners. 



