130 THE KITCHEN GARDEN. [FEB. 



sticks once or twice a day, and feeling the lower ends, you can 

 readily judge of the degree of heat, which, if found very violent, 

 threatening to burn the earth and scorch the roots of the plants, it 

 must be moderated by boring with a long, thick stake several wide 

 holes in the dung on each side of the bed, also in the earth just 

 under the roots, to admit the air, and to let the rank steam and burn- 

 ing quality of the dung pass off more freely ; but when the heat is 

 become moderate, the holes must be closed again. 



Likewise observe when the heat is on the decline, it will be very 

 proper to lay a quantity of dry long litter round the sides of the bed, 

 which will preserve a fine kindly growing heat, and will defend the 

 bed from being chilled by heavy rains, snow, &c. 



In the next place, when you find the heat of the bed beginning to 

 decline considerably, you should prepare to renew it as soon as pos- 

 sible, which is to be done by applying a lining of hot dung to the 

 sides, as for cucumber and melon beds. 



Fresh air must be admitted in fine weather daily, especially if the 

 heat of the bed is strong when the buds begin to appear through this 

 last covering of earth ; for fresh air is necessary both to give them 

 color and prevent their drawing up too fast and weak j therefore in 

 fine sunny days, either tilt the upper ends of the lights an inch or- 

 two, or shove them a little down, as may be convenient ; but keep 

 them close in cold or very bad weather, and always at night. 



Continue to cover the glasses every night, especially after the 

 plants appear, with mats or straw. 



The bed, if made and managed as above directed, will begin to 

 produce asparagus abundantly in four or five weeks, and provided the 

 heat be kept up, will continue producing buds in great plenty for 

 about three weeks. 



The method of gathering the asparagus in hot-beds is to thrust your 

 finger down gently into the earth, and break the buds off close to the 

 roots } but the cutting them with a knife, as practised in the natural 

 ground would, by reason of the buds coming up so very thick, de- 

 stroy as many or more than you gather. 



When it is intended to have a constant supply of asparagus in the 

 winter and spring seasons, till that in the natural ground comes in y 

 you should make a new hot-bed every three weeks or a month. 



A quantity of fresh plants must also be procured for every new 

 bed ; for those which have been forced in a hot-bed, are not fit for any 

 use afterwards, either in the natural ground or elsewhere. 



When designed to raise asparagus plants for forcing, you should 

 sow some seed every year in a bed of rich earth, as directed in 

 March; observing when the plants are one year old, to transplant 

 them into an open compartment, in rows, nine inches asunder, and 

 about the same distance between the rows. When they have two or 

 three summers' growth, they are then fit to take up for forcing ; but 

 if they stand three years before you take them up they will produce 

 much larger buds. 



It is necessary to have three different pieces of ground always em- 

 ployed at the same time with asparagus plants for the above purpose ; 

 that is, one for the seed-bed with seedling plants, which should never 



