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method of cultivating Asparagus in the natural 

 ground during the spring and summer seasons, 

 it may be raised in winter or the very early spring 

 months by being planted in frames or pus, and 

 forced by means of a hot-bed heat. In order 

 to have constant successions in this way at these 

 periods, fresh beds should be made and planted 

 every month or six weeks, according to the de- 

 mand. 



Raising the Plants. — For this purpose, as in 

 the former, the plants are to be propagated in 

 the open ground, from seed, in the manner al- 

 ready directed, being kept perfectly clean, and 

 suffered lo remain without being cut over, till 

 they have attained a sufficiently vigorous growth. 

 In this intention different pieces of ground 

 should be annually sown in the spring, so as to 

 be constantly coming forwards in regular suc- 

 cession for being planted on the hot-beds. But 

 when this cannot be done, the plants may be 

 purchased from the kitchen-gardeners in the vi- 

 cinity of most large towns. 



For this use some employ plants of three or 

 four years growth; but Mr. Nicol thinks that 

 they should not be of k-ss than four years, or of 

 more than seven or eight years growth. And it 

 is advised that they should be kept covered with 

 straw or litter during the winter, in order that 

 they may be readily procured in the time of frost. 



The quantity of plants necessary for this pur- 

 pose is considerable, the space of three rods of 

 ground only Furnishing a sufficient proportion 

 of plants for a three-light frame, as they should 

 be planted in a close manner; a bed of this ex- 

 tent not affording more than about three or four 

 hundred large buds weekly, besides Sprew, for 

 the period of three weeks or a month at most. 



The season for beginning this work should be 

 regulated by the time when the vegetable is 

 ■wanted for the table. It is frequently begun as 

 early as the latter end of September, but the 

 most usual time is the middle of November ; 

 and it mav be continued nearly until the period 

 at which the natural Asparagus comes in. 



Making the Beds. — In the common method of 

 forcing this vegetable the hot-beds are prepared 

 in the usual manner, by throwing together a 

 suitable quantity of fresh horse stable-dung, so 

 as to form beds of about two feet and a half 

 or three feet in height in an upright manner, 

 fine mould or earth being then applied over the 

 surfaces to the thickness of six or eight inches; 

 the outsides of the frames being well lined and 

 banked up with the same materials after the 

 plants are put in, that the heat may be suf- 

 ficiently preserved, and the plants nt arest the 

 sides be preserved from the effects of frost. The 

 beds are sometimes made on the level surface, 



or by being slightly raised above it; but where 

 the soil is dry, a trench or excavation six or 

 eight inches in depth may be made for them. 



The author of the " Scotch Forcing Gar- 

 dener" recommends that the stable-dung for the 

 beds should be twice shaken over, remaining each 

 time four or five days to sweeten, or let off the 

 rank steam, before the beds are made up. They 

 should then be formed to the height of three 

 feet in front and four in the back, extending a 

 foot further than, the frames all round. And 

 after the whole surfaces have been made even 

 they should be covered with turfs, cut so as to 

 form again in an exact manner, being laid the 

 green sides downwards, and smoothed well with 

 the back side of the spade ; the frames are then to 

 be placed over, which should have the depth of 

 thirty inches in the backs and twenty in the 

 fronts. In these, good, dry, old tan, that has 

 been well reduced, should be laid in an even 

 manner to the thickness of eight inches or more; 

 or where this cannot be procured, light sandy 

 earth, with a fourth part of good vegetable 

 mould, may be employed. Beds prepared in 

 this way, when they begin to heat, produce less 

 steam than in the ordinary manner; which is the 

 reason of their being turfed. But if any steam 

 arise the frames should be opened to let it off, 

 though it is not of any material disadvantage till 

 the plants appear. 



The most suitable situations for forming beds 

 of this sort in, are those which are the least ex- 

 posed to the west or north winds, and the most 

 open to the influence of the sun. The melon 

 or cucumber grounds answer perfectly well when 

 sufficiently spacious; and it is an advantage if 

 plenty of good mould and earth be at hand for 

 preparing the beds with. 



It is, however, suggested by Mr. Nicol, that 

 forcing in flued pits constructed for the purpose is 

 a much preferable and more convenient method ; 

 and that the Asparagus is of a much better colour 

 and finer flavour than when cultivated on dung 

 hot-beds. And besides, the pits answer various 

 other purposes. The growth of the plants can 

 also be regulated with much greater convenience 

 and exactness, so as to suit the times of their 

 being wanted. It is observed, that a pit twenty- 

 five or thirty feet in length, six in width, and 

 which one fire can command, is sufficient for 

 forcing Asparagus so as to supply a large family 

 from November to May in a regular manner, 

 and be afterwards employed in raising various 

 other sorts of crops. The consumption of fuel 

 in these cases is considered as very trifling when 

 the advantage of such contrivances is attended 

 to. Fhied pits for this use may be seen in the 

 plate on l-eds and bits. 



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