MONTHLY CALEXDAK. 327 



to surface-cvops, which, for the sake of equalizing them with the other groups, 

 will comprise numerous light crops, — as salads, sweet herbs, and similar crops ; 

 tke exhausters, comprising another fourth of the whole, — broccoh, cabbage, 

 including Dutch, red Braganza, &c. ; Savoys, Brussels sprouts, cauUflower, 

 kale, or borecole. These will occupy 3 and 4. As these two squares become 

 vacated, the deepeners may fill the space left by them, until, in course of 

 time, 3 and 4 become filled with the latter. The exhausters will have taken 

 the place of the surface-crops on 1 and 2 ; the latter will be transferred to 7 

 and 8, previously occupied with preparers, which have followed the deepeners 

 on 5 and 6 ; and thus a perpetual rotation may be maintained, which will 

 improve the ground instead of impoverishing it. 



923. Asparagus. — This crop is usually grown on beds, but there is no 

 advantage whatever in marking the ground into beds ; the most approved 

 method is to trench the ground three feet deep, turning in a heavy dressing 

 of manure. Supposing this is done in the depth of winter, let it lay rough 

 till April, when it will be pulverized by frost ; then lay on it a good coat ot 

 very rotten dung, and fork it well in, making the ground level ; then plant 

 the roots in rows two feet apart, and 8 or 10 inches apart in the rows. 

 The mode I prefer is to have two-year- old plants, and, having stretched a line 

 north and south, to cut a drill with a spade 8 or 10 inches deep ; in this 

 place the roots, the crowns two inches below the surface, and close the earth 

 about them with the hand, and settle them well in with water, not poured on 

 them from a spout, but from a coarse rose. In two years' time it is fit to cut ; 

 and if two or three rows are taken up and forced, and a like quantity planted 

 every year, there will always be a supply in all stages, the main body being 

 strong and vigorous roots to cut from ; and none are better for forcing than 

 such as have served five or six years in the open ground. To raise aspa- 

 ragus from seed, which it yields in abundance, if allowed, in the autumn, 

 the seed should be gathered when fully ripe, hung up to dry, and rubbed out 

 when sufficiently so. It may be sown thinly on ground that has been well dug, 

 but not manured, any time from the beginning of March to June : if sown 

 broadcast, it should be scattered thinly and evenly, and trodden in, and the 

 ground raked over ; if in drills, they should be about a foot apart and an inch 

 deep, the seeds sown thinly, and pressed and raked over. They make more 

 root than top the first year ; but if they are kept clear of weeds, and the ground 

 stirred often between them, they will grow vigorously the second year, and be 

 fit to plant out the following spring. 



924. Celery may be sown at this time for a late supply. Sow in an open 

 piece of ground, as between newly-planted or sown asparagus or artichokes : 

 such spaces do well for the purpose ; and as they are to be pricked out as soon 

 as large enough to handle, they will draw the ground but little. The seed 

 should be scattered very thinly, trodden, and raked even, and, if necessary, 

 watered. It should, when large enough, be pricked out about six inches apart, 

 on an open well-manured piece of ground. When ready to i^lant for good in 

 the trenches, mark out the ground into four feet clear spaces between the 



