CH. I.] ASPARAGUS. 21 



ing, there is no poilibility of drawing off 

 the rank heat, as in a hot-bed : for which 

 reafon, if dung alone is to be ufed, it ought 

 to be more carefully fermented. 



A finall degree of bottom heat is fuffi- 

 cient for the purpofe; and, if the pit has 

 been previoufly employed in the culture of 

 young pines, it will require no preparation 

 whatever for the reception of the Afpara- 

 gus roots, excepting to level and put a few 

 inches of well-reduced tan on the furface. 

 But, if melons were the laft article produ- 

 ced in the pit, it will be neceflary to 

 trench the bed about two feet deep, and 

 add a little new tan or dung ; then level the 

 furface with old rotten tan, as before. In 

 either cafe, let the furface be levelled in a 

 floping manner, to the fun, and about fix 

 inches above the bottom of the flues, al- 

 lowing for the tan fettling fo much ; then 

 let the roots be placed and covered, as di- 

 reded for the common hot-bed. 



If the pit is from twenty to thirty feet 



long, one half will be fufficient to be filled 



at a time ; and, to keep a conflant fuccef- 



fion of grafs, fill the other half with roots 



B 3 in 



