70 FRENCH MARKET-GARDENING 



The soil in which the Asparagus plants are to be 

 placed should if possible be light, rich, deeply trenched 

 and well manured in advance. It should also slope 

 more or less towards the south so as to receive the 

 full benefit from the sun. 



Intercropping. The ground between the young 

 plants is not left idle. Short Carrots, Lettuces, 

 Spinach, Corn Salad, Radishes, or any other dwarf 

 and quick-growing crop may be grown between the 

 rows without the slightest danger to the Asparagus. 

 Even Cabbages and Cauliflowers may be grown on the 

 edges of each bed, and in the pathways between them 

 each crop, of course, at its proper season. The 

 necessary hoeings and waterings that must be given 

 these crops, instead of being detrimental to the young 

 Asparagus, are in reality of great benefit, so much 

 so that very often they make as much progress in 

 one season as Asparagus plants grown in the ordinary 

 way in the open air do in two or three seasons. 



After the plants have flowered, no seed capsules are 

 allowed to form, as they exhaust a certain amount of 

 reserve material from the tissues. About the end of 

 October or in November the stems are cut down 

 within an inch or two of the soil, the surface of which 

 is hoed or lightly pricked up with the fork. A good 

 layer of fine rich soil is then spread over the bed, and 

 on this again a good layer of manure. Each autumn 

 this work is renewed to give a fresh supply of nourish- 

 ment to the roots. 



As the plants will be ready for forcing at the end 

 of two years' growth, although it is better to wait till 

 the end of the third year, it is advisable to mark out 

 the beds wide enough to accommodate the frames 



