ASPARAGUS 



selected ; but if the cultivator has no other soil except one that is 



very stiff and damp, he should, by a thorough drainage, render it 



wholesome to the depth of at least 12 or 1 6 in., and direct all 



his efforts to the improvement of the surface. The experience 



of the Asparagus growers at Argenteuil and other localities near 



Paris, who have brought the culture of this plant to a degree of 



perfection unknown before, seems to prove that the best results 



are obtained by liberally manuring the upper portion only of the 



soil in which the plants are growing, as the roots have naturally 



no tendency to descend deeper, if they find sufficient nourishment 



near the surface. It is obvious that, in establishing a plantation of 



A s naragus, account must 



be taken of the nature 



of the soil in which it is 



to be made, and which, 



consequently, must be 



dug more or less deeply; 



but it may be said 



generally that the chief 



point on which success 



mainly depends, is not 



to put the stools out of 



reach of the influence of 



heat, while, at the same 



time, placing them in a 



medium in which they 



will find an abundance 



of the nourishment 



which they require. 



The stools, then, should be planted at no great depth, and no 



great quantity of soil should be heaped over them, except at the 



time when the young shoots are growing, when it is absolutely 



necessary to do so, in order to obtain these of sufficient length. 



As to the disposition of the young plants, there is no fixed rule. 



They may be placed either in single rows, or in beds containing 



two or three rows each ; but it is advisable, in all cases, to have a 



distance of at least 2 or 2j ft from plant to plant in all directions. 



This will be found advantageous from a double point of view, as 



ensuring a crop of greater abundance and better quality. 



Planting in beds being the most usual way, we shall briefly 

 describe how it is done, first observing that the methods of 

 establishing and cultivating the plants are almost exactly the 

 same as those pursued with plants grown in single rows. In 

 March or April, or even later, the ground for the plantation is 

 carefully laid out, having been previously well dug and plentifully 

 manured before winter. The surface of the beds is then slightly 



Asparagus (after 7 years' planting). 



