ASP 



68 



ASP 



with this judicious modification, that to cut. Doubtless all its energies are 

 earth be never, taken from the paths developed by the digging in of the ma- 

 after the first year, but these merely be | nure in the autumn of the second year, 



covered with dung, and which is only 

 to be slightly dug in; for every gar- i 

 dener must have observed that the roots 

 of the outer row extend into the alleys, ' 

 and are consequently destroyed if they 

 are dug over. And, rather than that 



and when it does begin to sprout, it 

 finds its roots in contact with a soil of 

 inexhaustible fertility. 



" Previously, hovvever, to the cutting, 

 each bed is covered in the course of 

 March very lightly with dead leaves, 



should take place, the beds should have to the depth of about eight inches ; and 



no winter covering unless earth can be 

 obtained from some other source, as 

 asparagus does not generally suffer 

 from frost, as is commonly supposed. 



Manuring. — No garden plant is more 

 benefitted than is asparagus by the ap- 

 plication of common salt, if it be given 

 at such times as the plants are growing. 

 Two pounds to every thirty square 



the cutting does not commence till the 

 plants peep through this covering, when 

 it is carefully removed from the stems, 

 in order that the finest only may be cut, 

 which are rendered white by their leafy 

 covering, and succulent by the exces- 

 sive richness of the soil. 



" In the autumn of the third year, 

 after the first cutting, the leaves are re- 



yards of surface should be sown broad- ; moved, and the beds are again dressed 

 cast over the beds early in April. After ! with fresh night soil, as before; and 

 that, water the plants once a week with i these operations are repeated year after 

 liquid manure, formed of half an ounce I year. In addition to this, the beds are 

 of guano and four ounces of salt to half under salt water annually at spring 

 every gallon of water. The supply of: tides." 

 food cannot be too rich or too abundant. ""' 



Spanish culture, — Near Sebastian, in 

 Spain, the finest asparagus in Europe 

 is produced by the following mode : — 



" In March the seed is sown in two 

 drills, about two inches deep, and 

 eighteen inches trom the alleys, thus 

 leaving a space of two feet between 

 the drills. The rows run invariably 

 east and west, doubtless in order that 

 the plants may shade the ground during 

 the heats of summer. 



" When the seedlings are about si.x 

 inches high, they are thinned to some- 

 thing more than a foot apart. Water 

 is conducted once a day among the 

 alleys, and over the beds, so as to give 

 these seedlings an abundant and con- 

 stant supply of fluid during the season 



Time of production. — In May the 

 beds are in full production of young 

 shoots, which, when from two to five 

 inches high, are fit for cutting, and as 

 long as the head continues compact and 

 firm. Care must be taken in cutting 

 not to injure those buds which are 

 generally rising from the same root 

 in various grades of successional growth 

 within the ground. The knife ought 

 to be narrow pointed, the blade about 

 nine inches in length, and saw edged. 

 The earth being carefully opened round 

 the shoot, to observe whether any others 

 are arising, the blade is to be gently 

 slipped along the stalk until it reaches 

 its extremity, where the cut is to be made 

 in a slanting direction. It almost always 

 occurs that the same stool produces a 



nf their growth. This is the cultiva- greater number of small beads than 



tion during the first year. 



large ones, but the latter only should be 



" The second year, in the month ofl cut : for, the oflener the former are re- 

 March, the beds are covered with three ' moved, the more numerously will they 



four inches of fresh night soil from 

 the reservoirs of the town. It remains 

 on them during the summer, and is 

 lightly dug in during the succeeding' 

 autumn ; the operation of irrigation 

 being continued as during the first sea- 



be produced, and the stools will sooner 

 become exhausted. 



" No one should cut too. many sprouts 

 from his asparagus beds. On the con- 

 trary, the gardener should take care to 

 leave at least two or three strong sprouts, 



son. This excessive stimulus, and the ' to grow from every root; or what is 



abundant room the plants have to grow 

 ill, must necessarily make them ex- 

 tremely vigorous, and prepare them 

 lor the production of gigantic sprouts. 

 " In the third spring asparagus is fit 



better, his beds should be rested one 

 year, and cut another; for he may be 

 certain from the strength of the sum- 

 mer shoots, what sort of sprouts he 

 will have to cut the succeeding year — 



