An Encyclopedia of Horticulture. 



123 



Asparagus — continu ed, 



unamuHi. Stem herbaceous, mostly erect, rounded, very miicli 

 braiR-lied. /i. 1ft. Sjiid to grow on " Asparjigus Lsland," 

 Kynaiiri' Covt', liizard, Itiit we have never found it there, and it 

 lias pn-liHlily Ions since been exterminated. 



A. plumosus (phimed).* Jl. white, small, produced from the tips 

 nf the Iiranehlets. Sprhis. I., true ones in tho form of minute 

 deUmd scales, with an acirte ultimately retiexed point; the false 

 ones are j;r(iu}ied in tufts, each being i^in. to -Jin. lonp;, bristle- 

 shaped, juid finely pointed. South Africa, 1S76. An elegant 

 evergreen climber, with smooth stems and numerous spreading 

 >)rancln's. It forms an excellent plant wlien truiued in pots, and 

 is inv;ihiable for cutting. 



A p. nanus (dwarf).* A very elegant dwarf variety of above. 



Stems tufted, slender, and gracefully arching. South Africa, 1880. 

 For bnuquets, the cut sprays of both type and variety have the 

 advantage of unich gieater persistency than any fern, retaining 

 their freshness in water from three to four weeks. See Kig. 161, 

 for wliich wo are indebted to Messrs. Veitch and Sons. 



A. racemosns (racemose). jL greenish-white, in many-flowered 

 axillary racemes. May. I. bundled, linear-subulate, falcate; 

 branches striated ; prickles solitary, h. 3ft. India, 1808. Green- 

 bouse evergreen slirub. 



Asparagus Beetle — contiimed. 

 fluid from tho moutli when touched. When full (jrown, 

 which takes about a fortnight, the larva moasuros about 

 two linos in lenj^th ; tho averaj^re Icnj^th of the perfect 

 Beetle is about three lines. Although this insect does 

 not actnally destroy tlio plants, it inflicts much damago 

 on the foliage, and cheoks tho growth of tho stems after 

 thoy have attained Bomo size, in consequence of wliicb 

 the foliage becomes much leas in tlio next season. Tho 

 og-f^s aro fixed to t!ie shoots, and are small, dark, pointed 

 bodies. Tlio larva3 do tho harm, as they f(!od on tho 

 hark and tender portions of the plauts. Tiio mature 

 Beetles should bo 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 injxire tho 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- 



KiG. 161. Asparagus plumosus na:.l5. 



A ramoslsstmus (very brf^ncldng). ,;?. Bolitary, at the tips of the 

 branchleUs ; pedicels hardly perpendicular, one and a-half to two 

 lines long; cream coloured. June. I. obscurely spurred at the base; 

 false leaves three to eight-nate, flattened ; linear-falcate acute, 

 Jin. to gin. long, spreading. South Africa. 1862. A wide climbing, 

 copiously branched, slender grt't'idiousc shrul>, with very nume- 

 rous s]>reading or ascending brandies and branchlets. 

 A. scandens (climbing).* Ji. wliitish, axillary on the idtimate 

 branchlets, succeeded by round orange-coloured berries. The 

 .annual, nuich-branched, imarmed stems bear, usually in threes, 

 numerous small linear-pointed leaves, which on the idtimate 

 branches spread nearly in one plane. Cape of Good Hope, 1795. 

 An elegant climbing greenhouse perennial. 

 A. virgatns (twiggy),* A remarkably elegant feathery-looking 

 plant, of shrubby babit. The -items, which issue from the crown 

 of the stout Ht'sliy roots, are of a dark green colour, and bear at 

 the ujijur end ;i corymlinsc head of erect branches, of which the 

 lowest is the yciiiigest or most recently developed. These branches 

 are again twice bnxnched, the ultimate branchlets being furnished 

 with neecJIe-shaped false leaves, iin. long, which usually grow in 

 threes. South Africa, 1862. 



ASPARAGUS BUETIiE (Crioreris asparnrji), or 

 " Cross-boarer." This beautiful little insect is blue- 

 black or greenish ; the thorax is rod with two black 

 Bjiots, and the wing-cases are yellow, with a black cross 

 on them ; the legs and antenna are black. The short grey 

 larva is flat underneath, arched on the back, and covered 

 with hairs. The aides are of an olive hue, and the little 

 legs and head are black. It ejects a drop of blackish 



ing the operation at intervals of about eight days for 

 a season, will generally effect a riddance ; but the follow- 

 ing will usually bo found better in such cases. Neither 

 must be applied until after cutting ceases, as they are 

 very poisonous. 



Pains Green. This, mixed and used as for Cherry Fly 

 {see Black Ply), will generally got 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. 



ASPARAGUS KNIPE. 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 



-■..< .. ■■ ■* — 



Fia. 162. Asparagus Kniif.. 

 both sides, straight, %vith a sharp tip, and not nnlikn a 

 small chisol. Another had its blado sliglitly Iiooked, and 

 serrated at one end. Bnt the best is that now almost 

 nniversally employed, and which is illustrated by Fig. 102. 



