508 VILLA GAEDENING part vi 



miich trouble, and a dish or two of green Peas in November or 

 later are sometimes much thought of. 



Varieties — American Wonder. — Very prolific and early, a good 

 variety for pot culture ; Little Gem ; Multum in Parvo is rather 

 taller than the kinds first named, but has larger pods. 



Asparagus. — The main essentials for securing a good supply 

 of forced Asparagus in winter are — 1st, A good stock of strong 

 roots ; and, 2d, Sufficient artificial heat. The best -flavoured 

 forced Asparagus is raised on hotbeds made of Oak leaves and 

 stable manure in about equal parts, thoroughly intermixed. The 

 first bed is made in November, and a succession is kept up from 

 then till March. The beds are made of sufficient capacity to 

 supply a steady warmth of 75° bottom -heat, and this with 

 coverings will give a top-heat of 60° to 65°, rising to 70° or 75° 

 in the daytime. As regards the roots, the supply of Asparagus 

 being entirely dependent upon the care bestowed upon them in 

 their preparatory stages, it is necessary to say something. Some 

 people force their old beds, making a certain number of new beds 

 each spring to take the place of those removed for forcing. Young 

 plants of three or four years' growth force most easily, and give 

 the best result. When we know how many plants we intend 

 forcing annually, it is a very easy matter to provide that number 

 in succession, year after year. Say we wish to force 1000 roots 

 annually. We calculate that so many rows across a particular 

 plot of ground, at 15 inches apart in the rows, will provide the 

 number, with a margin of some five or six per cent over to com- 

 pensate for deficiencies in strength in some plants. The seeds are 

 sown in March in drills half an inch deep and 3i feet apart. 

 When the young plants appear, thin out first of all to 8 inches 

 apart, and afterwards to 16 inches, when the strongest plants can 

 be distinguished. I have sometimes left the plants the first year 

 8 inches apart, and the second year, when the young growth 

 appears, taken up every alternate plant, and transplanted them 

 elsewhere. This is a very good plan, as it makes the most and 

 best of things. The first year a row of some dwarf vegetables 

 may be grown between the rows of Asparagus. Lettuces, Cauli- 

 flowers, or some crop that does not occupy the land a long time, 

 should be preferred. Tlie second year the Asparagus plants should 

 have all the space for the full development of their growth. I am 

 assuming that the land is in good heart, that its condition is kept 

 up by top-dressings and mulchings, and that everything should be 

 done during summer to make the plants strong, for unless the 

 strength is stowed away in the crowns during the growing period, 

 no amount of skill in forcing can supply it, or abstract what is 



