ASPARAGUS. 65 



fully and quickly, but add little permanent value to the 

 soil. 



ASPARAGUS (Asparagus afficinalis). This desirable 

 and healthy spring vegetable may be raised by sowing the 

 seed in the fall or early spring. The seed should be fresh 

 and ripe, and put into rich soil, and covered about half an 

 inch deep. Hoe carefully when the plants are up, and 

 keep them free from weeds. After a careful cultivation, 

 some gardeners remove the plants when a year old from the 

 nursery bed ; oftener, they are not removed till two years 

 old. The bed they are to be finally put into should be 

 trenched a foot deep, and well-rotted manure be worked into 

 each trench several inches below the surface. Place the 

 plants upright along the trench, and fill in with earth as you 

 pass along, filling in carefully afterwards, drawing the earth 

 round each plant with a rake or hoe. Throw on the surface 

 some well-rotted manure. Sea-weed, if within reach, is an 

 excellent manure for asparagus beds, which require an 

 annual dressing. Old pickle brine may be put on in the 

 fall. The bed should be placed in a sunny exposure. 



Asparagus should be carefully cut, so as not to wound the 

 coming buds ; a sharp knife should be used, and the shoots 

 cut a little below the surface of the ground. 



Where you have a bed, cut asparagus just before you put 

 it into the pot. Tie it in small bundles. Throw a little salt 

 into boiling water ; no more water should be used than just 

 enough to cover the vegetable. If it boils too long, it will 

 lose color and flavor ; twenty minutes will generally find it 

 tender. Toast some slices of bread quite dry, pour some of 

 the water the asparagus was boiled in over it, and put a 

 piece of butter on each piece of bread ; lay the asparagus 

 on the toast, and put a piece of butter on the asparagus. 

 You may serve it with melted butter. 

 6* 



