ASPARAGUS 69 



nicely prepared hot-bed under lights, and sufficiently 

 thick to allow of a second selection being made 

 later on. 



When the young plants are a few inches high, the 

 very best are selected and carefully pricked out in 

 another frame 2 or 3 in. apart. This will admit 

 about three or four hundred plants under each light. 

 After a gentle watering, the young plants are kept 

 " close " for a few days, after which a little air may 

 be given on all fine days. As the season advances, 

 more and more air may be given, until at length, 

 say about May, the lights may be taken off. altogether 

 when frosts are no longer feared. Previous to this, 

 care must be taken to protect the plants from frost 

 during the night by spreading mats or litter over the 

 lights when necessary. 



Planting. About the middle of July these young 

 plants will be ready for planting in their final quarters. 

 At this period it will be easy to distinguish the finest- 

 looking plants ; and these only should be chosen for 

 the plantation. To secure a sufficient supply, it is 

 necessary to sow larger quantities of seed and to 

 prick out more plants than are actually needed, so 

 that there may be no difficulty in making a good 

 selection the first year. 



Experienced growers have remarked that clumps 

 which produce thin shoots at first continue to do so 

 year after year. Such shoots are produced more 

 freely than the larger and more succulent ones, it is 

 true ; but one fat shoot is more highly valued than 

 five thin ones. Besides, there is more sense in growing 

 the best and most saleable shoots, as their cultivation 

 entails no more attention than the poorer kinds. 



5* 



