158 GARDENING. 



Vegetables which have been long cultivated have 

 in general many varieties ; but to this law the as 

 paragus appears to be an exception, having, as we 

 believe, but two, and these differing from each other 

 only in volume. They are found growing sponta- 

 neously in high northern latitudes, near the mouths 

 of great rivers, where the soil is annually covered 

 with a new coat of alluvial matter. The natural 

 life of an individual plant does not exceed five years ; 

 but, left undisturbed in its native bed, it, rises in the 

 spring, ripens its seeds in the summer, and in au- 

 tumn sheds them on the soft and rich surface which 

 the spring floods have prepared for them : and in 

 this way continues to propagate the race from one 

 century to another. 



These facts could not have been either long ob- 

 served or much considered, without suggesting the 

 kind of treatment which would be most proper for 

 the plant when transferred to an artificial bed ; yet 

 the modes indicated for this purpose have been very 

 different, and, like other things of even less conse- 

 quence, have given rise to much and warm discus- 

 sion. Of these disputed points the principal are, 

 whether sowing or planting gives the most profit; 

 whether plants of one, of two, or of three years 

 are to be preferred ; whether the seedbed should 

 be as rich, or less so than the plantation ; and, last- 

 ly, whether this (the plantation) should be formed 

 on the surface of the earth in its natural state, or 

 on an excavation filled up with new and better ma- 

 terials. 



The first of these questions appears to us to turn 

 principally on convenience. If we can postpone the 

 use of the plant for a year or two, sowing is to be 

 preferred; because the crop it gives (other things 

 being equal), though later in coming, is more abun- 

 dant, of better quality, and of longer duration ; but 

 if our supply must be prompt, planting is best, for 

 by this mode we no doubt soonest obtain the fruit 



