ASPARAGUS 71 



and lights which are to go over them. The length 

 of these beds will, of course, be determined according 

 to the extent of the ground or the requirements of 

 the grower. As a rule the beds are 4 ft. 5 in. 

 in width, as this is the usual size of the frames and 

 lights used. The beds should run lengthways from 

 east to west, so that the lights will slope towards the 

 south ; and it will be found more convenient if each 

 bed does not exceed 100 ft. in length. 



Between one Asparagus bed and another a pathway 



FIG. 16. FORCING ASPARAGUS IN FRAMES. 



about 2 ft. or 2 ft. 6 in. in width should be left 

 (see fig. 1 6). 



Having marked out the Asparagus beds by lines 

 or pegs, about a foot of soil is taken off the surface 

 of the first one, and wheeled to the end of the last 

 bed. The trench thus made is then filled in with 

 a mixture of good horse and cow manure, and, if 

 possible, a little night soil all of which should have 

 been prepared three or four weeks beforehand, and 

 should be in a half-decomposed and homogeneous 

 condition. In " light " soils the quantity of cow 

 manure may be increased a little, but in " heavy " 

 soils the horse manure should predominate. With this 

 manure many growers mix also old rags, horn-shavings, 



