ASP 



ASP 



more deep, light, loamy, or alluvial kinds. The 

 Very strong loams do not answer so perfectly for 

 the culture of this plant as those of the less 

 heavy sorts. 



It is necessary to be particular in the prepa- 

 ration of the ground for the reception of the 

 plants, both on account of the great length of 

 time which is required before they attain per- 

 fection, and from little being capable of being 

 done after they have been put in without in- 

 juring their roots. It should constantly be well 

 trenched to the depth of two feet or more, and 

 aproperquantityof manure well incorporated with 

 it at the same time. The best manures are pro- 

 bably composts of good horse- or cow-dung with 

 vegetable mould; but some employ sea-weed, 

 marie, and other substances in the same way, 

 especially where the soil is inclined to be stiff. 



The most proper situations for this sort of 

 culture are those which are open and well ex- 

 posed to the free action of the air and sun, as 

 in these cases the Asparagus is not only more 

 early but better flavoured. 



Rahwgtlic Plants, and Methods of Planting. — 

 The usual mode of providing the plants is by 

 raising them from seed, which should be care- 

 fully selected from the best plants, and sown on 

 a bed of good light earth about four feet in 

 width in the latter end of February or beginning 

 of the following month, either in broad-cast over 

 the surface, or in drills at the distance of six 

 inches lengthways, the ground being then raked 

 even. When the plants appear they should be 

 kept perfectly clean from weeds during the sum- 

 mer, and the crowns of the roots protected in 

 the winter by spreading a little short stable litter 

 over them. They are sometimes transplanted 

 so as to form the beds in the spring following; 

 but it is a better practice to let them remain till 

 they ..are two years old, as the plants are less 

 liable to be destroyed. 



Some, however, think it the best method to 

 let the seed be sown at once where the plants 

 are to remain, as by that means they become 

 much stronger at the time of cutting than when 

 they have been transplanted. 



In planting, different methods are pursued, 

 as in beds of four feet in width, with alleys of 

 two feet between them; in beds of two feet, 

 with alleys of the same width; and in single 

 rows at three feet or more apart. But though 

 the first is the most common mode, the latter 

 are preferable in many cases. 



In the two Ihst methods the roots of the plants 

 should be carefully taken up from the seed-bed, 

 and be made use of without undergoing any trim- 

 ming. With the four-feet and two-feet beds the 

 plants are usually put in rows at the distance of a 



foot from each other, the first having four rows, 

 and the latter two rows lengthways of the beds. 

 They are commonly set in small drills or narrow 

 trenches, but some use a small dibble for the 

 purpose. 



In the single-row method it is probably the 

 best practice to drill in the seeds, though the 

 roots may be employed where they are thought 

 preferable. 



The beds should be formed of proper dimen- 

 sions in a neat regular manner by means of a 

 line, and then spaces according to their breadths 

 marked out for the rows, beginning nine inches 

 from the edges. Then stretch a line tight along 

 the length of the bed in the first outside row, 

 and with the spade held in an erect position, 

 the back being placed towards the line, cut out 

 a small trench along close to the line about six 

 inches deep, forming the side next the line up- 

 right, turning out the earth evenly to lie close 

 along the edge of the trench, ready to earth in 

 the roots as planted. This being done, proceed 

 to planting the row, placing the plants in the 

 trench close against the upright side about eight 

 or ten inches asunder, with the crowns upright 

 about two inches below the surface, spreading the 

 roots both ways, and drawing a little earth up 

 to those of each plant as they are put in, just 

 so as to fix them in their places till the whole of 

 the row is planted ; then directly rake the exca- 

 vated earth into the trench evenly over the roots 

 and crowns of the plants ; which done, move 

 the line a foot further for the next row, and cut 

 out another trench as before, and plant it in the 

 same manner, directly earthing over the plants 

 as in the first row, and so with the rest till the 

 whole is completed. Having finished the plant- 

 ing the beds, the alleys may either be lined out 

 now regularly, or deferred till the winter or spring 

 dressing; though where the beds and alleys are 

 formed previous to the planting, it may be eli- 

 gible to line them neatly in their proper dimen- 

 sions as soon as planted, making the edges of 

 the beds full and straight, and the alleys level 

 and even. Some sow the beds with onions, 

 lettuce, or other similar crops ; but this should 

 always, if possible, be avoided. 



Beds thus planted will continue ten or twelve 

 years or longer. 



Asparagus, after being thus planted out, re- 

 quires the following cultivation: the shoots, as- 

 soon as they present themselves above ground ia 

 the beginning of May, which are often not 

 much bigger than straws, must be permiited to 

 run wholly to stem, and during summer be kept 

 clean from weeds by small hoeing or hand-weed- 

 ing three or four times ; and where other crops 

 are cultivated with them, thin them in the usual 



