214 



A S I M I N A -- A S P A R A G U S; 



There are above forty species of this tree ; and of 

 the eoinmon ash there are ten varieties seen in arbo- 

 retnms, or in ornamental plantations. Among these 

 the F. cxcekior pcndula is one of the most curious, 

 the branches running on the surface of the ground 

 instead of rising in the air ; but by grafting a seion 

 of the pcndula upon a tall stem of the common, the 

 branches from the scion hang downwards : hence it is 

 called the weeping-ash. 



The Manna Ash (Ornus rotundifolia), a native of 

 Calabria, yields the gum called manna; and is men- 

 tioned in this place because the tree is erroneously 

 called an ash, though, in fact, it belongs to another 

 genus, which will be noticed in course. 



AS I MI N A (Adanson.) A genus of four species 

 of deciduous shrubs, natives of North America. Lin- 

 naean class and order Polyandria Polygyma; natural 

 order Anonacea;. Generic character : calyx three- 

 cleft ; corolla of six petals, the anterior smallest ; sta- 

 mens numerous, inserted on the disk of the germen ; 

 anthers somewhat sitting, and nearly united ; style 

 somewhat ternate ; berry egged, fleshy, sitting closely, 

 and full of seeds. These plants being tender are 

 seldom seen in European collections. 



ASIPHONOBRANCHIATA. The second or- 

 der of the class, Paracephalophora of De Blainville's 

 System of Malacology. 



In these animals the organs of respiration are con- 

 stantly formed by one or two pectiniform branchia, 

 obliquely placed on the anterior part of the back, and 

 contained in a cavity, the upper division of which is 

 not prolonged into a tube, but which sometimes pre- 

 sents an appendage, or inferior lobe, performing that 

 office. 



The shells of this order vary considerably in form ; 

 the aperture is constantly entire, and always com- 

 pletely operculated, that is, closed by a horny, bul 

 more frequently a calcareous operculum, proportioned 

 to the size of the opening. The name of the order 

 means literally, not possessing branchial siphons. 



ASPALATHUS (Linnaeus). A rather exten- 

 sive family of evergreen shrubs, from the Cape o: 

 Good Hope. Linnaean class and order Monadelphia 

 Decandria ; natural order Leguminosce. Generic 

 character : calyx five-toothed, teeth rather unequal 

 standard clawed, keel divided ; pod oblongly-egged 

 denuded. There are above thirty species of this 

 genus, all of which are more or less ornamental. They 

 are arranged in two divisions, viz., with leaves in 

 bundles, and leaves trifoliate. The scenery of southern 

 Africa is much enlivened by the flowers of this tribe 

 of plants. 



ASPARAGUS (Linnaeus). A genus of twenty- 

 six species of herbaceous or low shrubby plants, founc 

 in almost all parts of the world. Linnajan class anc 

 order Hexandria Monogynia ; natural order, Aspho 

 delete. Generic character : corolla somewhat bell 

 shaped, six-cleft, deciduous ; stamens inserted in th( 

 base of the corolla ; filaments awl-shaped ; anthers 

 erect, inversely heart-shaped ; style short ; stigm 

 three-lobed ; berry glqbular, three-celled, containing 

 seed. 



Asparagus has been long in culti v ation, and esteemec 

 one of the most delicate productions of the kitchen 

 garden. In its wild state on the sea shore the whole 

 plant is diminutive, but is capable of considerabli 

 amplification by suitable culture. 



The physical structure of the plant requires to b< 

 well understood, in order to have right ideas of it 



lanner of growth and requisite management. The 

 oot, from its peculiar form, affects an open, porous 

 oil ; it being a much divided tuber, its divisions 

 xtend horizontally, and are furnished with fibres 

 along their whole length. The divisions are at- 

 ached to and meet together on a collet or crown, 

 whence the shoots arise. The crown is annually 

 enlarged by offsets, which usually proceed from the 

 irst in one direction ; the first formed crown and 

 .ppendages consecutively dying off as new divisions 

 are produced. Although the crown, after three or 

 bur years, be composed of an aggregation of dis- 

 inct plants, yet they are not independent of each 

 other, because when united they produce much 

 stronger shoots than any one of the divisions could 

 lo if separated ; therefore it is a rule in the ma- 

 nagement of the plant to allow the crown and roots 

 to accumulate and gain strength for three or four 

 years before they are checked by the knife. 



To give luxuriance to the whole aggregation is 

 the special object of the cultivator ; and whether he 

 sows or plants his asparagus, he must consider that 

 it is not from the seeds or plants which he so care- 

 fully puts into drills that he ever should or ever 

 can gather a crop of shoots, but from the new off- 

 sets produced from the originals. 



To encourage, and even pamper the plant, by 

 every practicable means, constitutes the art of culture. 

 For this purpose the soil should have a light, friable 

 surface, jvith a rich substantial bottom, or subsoil. To 

 form such a bed, the usual practice is to bury by 

 trenching (fifteen inches deep) a thick coat of the 

 richest dung that can be procured ; not that it is 

 expected the roots will ever descend so deep, but. 

 that such a sunken stratum of rich material will be 

 retentive of moisture, and will also be ever evolv- 

 ing a nutritious gas serviceable to the plants. The 

 new surface should also be enriched by a good coat 

 of well-rotted stable dung, leaf-mould, and sea-sand, 

 if it can be conveniently had. All this well incorpo- 

 rated by the spade, and freed from stones, levelled, 

 &c., will be in condition to receive seed or plants. 



Although a plantation of asparagus may be laid 

 down by sowing seeds, it is seldom so executed, be- 

 cause much time is lost in waiting till seedlings acquire 

 the necessary strength to produce shoots of a proper 

 size. A better plan is to prepare a seed-bed pre- 

 viously to transplant from, or purchase two-year old 

 plants from a nursery-garden. 



The ground should be completely ready for plant- 

 ing any time in the month of Marcn. The first step 

 is to divide the surface into beds of two feet wide, 

 with two-feet alleys between; or three-feet wide 

 beds, with two-feet alleys .; or into five-feet wide beds, 

 with two and a half feet wide alleys between. The 

 narrowest beds are intended for single rows ; the next 

 for double rows, and the last may have four rows of 

 plants. 



All plants rob each other if placed too near toge- 

 ther. Of course single plants, or single rows of plants 

 of asparagus particularly, grow more luxuriantly, and 

 yield larger shoots, than when placed in closer order. 

 But as quantity as well as quality are desirable, five-feet 

 beds with four rows, and two and a half feet spaces 

 between, with six-inch margins at the sides, is the dis- 

 position most commonly adopted. In first-rate gardens 

 asparagus should always be planted in single rows ; 

 not only for the purpose of obtaining superior quality, 

 but for another purpose hereafter to be noticed. 



