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537 



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every two, in preference to the plan | to cover over each stool sand or ashes 

 sometimes recommended of planting; to the depth of about a foot ; tlie shoots, 



three rows in beds seven feet wide. It' 

 the months of June and July prove dry, 

 the beds should be plentifully watered. 

 The seedlings require no other atten- 

 tion, during the first summer, than to 

 be kept free from weeds, and to be thin- 

 ned to five or si.\ in each patch. When 

 their leaves have decayed and are clear- 

 ed away, about November, they must 

 be earthed over an inch or two with dry 

 mould from the alleys, and over this 

 about six inches depth of long litter 

 spread. In the following spring the 

 litter is to be raked off, and a little of 

 the most rotten dug into the alleys. 

 When the plants have perfectly made 

 their appearance they must be thinned, 

 leaving the strongest plant, or, as Mr. 

 Maher recommends, the three strong- 

 est, at each patch, those removed being 

 transplanted at similar distances if re- 

 quired ; but it must be remarked, that 

 those transplanted never attain so fine 

 a growth, or are so long lived. In the 

 second winter the earthing must be in- 

 creased to five or six inches deep over 

 the crowns, and the covering ol litter 

 performed as before. In the third 

 spring, the litter being removed, and 

 some dug into the alleys, as before, 

 about an inch depth of drift sand or 

 coal-ashes must be spread regularly 

 over the surface. The sprouts may 

 now be bleached and cut for use ; for, if 

 this is commenced earlier, the stools 

 are rendered much less productive and 

 much shorter lived. In November, or 

 as soon as the leaves are decayed, the 

 beds being cleared of them, the coating 

 of sand or ashes removed, and gently 

 stirred with the asparagus-fork, they 

 must be covered with a mixture of three 

 parts earth from the alleys, and one part 

 of thoroughly decayed leaves, to the 



in their passage through it, l)emg ex- 

 cluded from the light, are effoctually 

 bleached. Dry clean straw may be 

 scattered loosely over the plants to 

 elTect the same purpose. But pots are 

 by much to be preferred to any of these 

 coverings. Common flower-pots, of 

 large dimensions, may be employed, 

 care being taken to stop the liole at 

 the bottom with a piece of tile and clay, 

 so as to exclude every ray of light ; but 

 those suggested by Air. Maher are ge- 



Fig. 152. 



nerally adopted. They are of earthen- 

 ware, twelve or eighteen inches in 

 diameter, and twelve high. Mr. Sabine 

 improved upon them by making the top 

 moveable, which prevents the trouble 

 arising from the escape of the spread- 

 ing shoots, or the entire removal of the 

 dung at the time of forcing. Frames of 

 wicker are sometimes employed, being 

 covered with mats more perfectly to 

 exclude the liglit. See Rhubarb. 



Previously to covering the stools with 

 the pots, &c.,the manure laid on in the 

 winter must be removed ; and the ope- 

 ration should commence at the close of 

 February, or at least a month before 

 the shoots usually appear, as the sliel- 

 ter of the pots assists materially in 

 bringing them forward. In four or six 

 weeks after covering the plants should 

 be examined, and as soon as they ap- 



depth of three or four inches. The pear three or four inches high, they 

 major part of this is to be removed in may be cut; for if none are taken until 

 the fi>llowing spring, the beds forked, ; they attain a fuller growth, the crop 



and the covering of sand renewed, this 

 routine of cultivation continuing during 

 the existence of the beds. 



The above course is the one also pur- 

 sued if the plants are raised from ofT- 

 sets or cuttings, as it is by much the 



comes in too much at once. In order 

 to prolong the season of production, 

 Mr. Barton recommends plants to be 

 raised annually, so that every year a 

 cutting may be had from a yearling 

 crop, which come in much later, and 



best practice not to commence cutting consequently succeed in production the 



until they are two years old. 



old established roots. The shoots 



B/fUif/ifng: may commence the second ' should be cut whilst young and crisp, 

 spring after sowing. The most simple not exceeding five or six inches in 

 models that originally adopted, namely, ! height; the section to be made just 



