28 ASPARAGUS. 



and the dung buried equally in each trench twelve or 

 fifteen inches below the surface. When this trenching is- 

 done, lay on two or three inches of well rotted manure all 

 over the surface, and dig the ground over again eight or 

 ten inches deep, mixing this Jop dressing, and incorporating 

 it well with the earth. 



In family gardens, it is customary to divide the ground 

 thus prepared into beds, allowing four feet for every four 

 rows of plants, with alleys two feet and a half wide between 

 each bed. Strain your line along the bed six inches from 

 the edge ; then, with a spade, cut out a small trench or drill 

 close to the line, about six inches deep, making that side 

 next the line nearly upright, and when one trench is opened, 

 plant that before you open another, placing the plants 

 upright ten or twelve inches distance in the row, and let 

 every row be twelve inches apart. 



The plants must not be placed flat in the bottom of the 

 trench, but nearly upright against the back of it, and so that 

 the crown of the plants, may also stand upright, and two or 

 three inches below the surface of the ground, spreading 

 their roots somewhat regularly against the back of the 

 trench, and at the same time drawing a little earth up 

 against them with the hand as you place them, just to fix 

 the plants in their due position until the row is planted ; 

 when one row is thus placed, with a rake or hoe draw the 

 earth into the trench over the plants, and then proceed to 

 open another drill or trench, as before directed ; and fill and 

 cover it in the same manner, and so on till the whole is 

 plan'edr; then let the surface of the beds be raked smooth 

 and clear from stones, &c 



Some gardeners, with a view to have extra large heads, 

 place their plants sixteen inches apart in the rows, instead 

 of twelve, and by planting them in the quincunx manner, 

 that is, by commencing the second row eight inches from 

 the end of the first; and the fourth even with the second, 

 the plants will form rhomboidal squares, instead of rectan- 

 gular ones, and every plant will thus have room to expand 

 its roots and leaves luxuriantly. 



