134 ASPARAGUS AND RHUBARB. 
to smaller ones for forcing. They may be placed rather 
closely together in the frame, but the distance apart must 
be regulated by their size. The roots should be spread 
evenly over the surface and covered with 6 inches of 
sand. Little water will be required, as the steam from 
the manure affords considerable moisture, but if the bed 
should become dry it may be moistened with water of the 
same temperature as the soil in the frame. A little air 
may be admitted when the day is bright and warm, to 
keep the temperature from rising above 80 degrees. 
When the points of the shoots begin to appear above the 
sand the crop is ready to cut. Where ground is plentiful 
a supply of forcing crowns can be kept up by sowing a 
little seed every year, having five or six successions, the 
oldest plants being forced for cutting.”’ 
RHUBARB. 
The forcing of pie-plant does not differ essentially from 
the forcing of asparagus. Thoroughly established clumps 
are dug in the fall, and these are packed in beds under- 
neath the benches, sifting the soil in tightly between the 
clumps, and then covering them with 2 to 6 inches of soil. 
The temperature should range as for lettuce or roses, or 
for very quick results it may be considerably higher. The 
length of time required for securing the saleable product 
is about the same as that required for asparagus, or per- 
haps a little longer. About four or five weeks after the 
planting under the benches is the usual time required for 
the first profitable cutting. Paragon and Linnzus varie- 
ties may be used for the earliest results, but the best 
crops are to be obtained from some of the larger kinds, 
like Victoria and Mammoth. 
