8 THE CULTURE OF VEGETABLES 



of the ground. To be well drained is a matter of the first impor- 

 tance, for stagnant water in the subsoil is fatal to the plant. But a 

 rich loam does not need the extravagant manuring that has been 

 recommended and practised for this purpose. Deep digging and, if 

 the subsoil is good, trenching may be recommended, but an average 

 manuring will suffice, because Asparagus can be effectually aided 

 by annual top dressings, and proper surface culture is of great im- 

 portance in the subsequent stages. The plantation must be in an 

 open spot, the preparation of the ground should commence in the 

 autumn, and be continued through the winter, a heavy dressing 

 of half-rotten stable dung being put on in the first instance, and 

 trenched in two feet deep. In the course of a month the whole 

 piece should be trenched back. If labour is at command a third 

 trenching may be done with advantage, and the surface may be 

 left ridged up until the time arrives to level it down for seed. It 

 will appear that this routine is of a somewhat costly character, but 

 we are supposing the plantation is to remain for many years, making 

 an abundant return for the first investment. Still we are bound to 

 say that a capital supply for a moderate table may be obtained by 

 preparing a piece of good ground in an open situation in a quite 

 ordinary manner with one deep digging in winter, adding at the time 

 some six inches or so of fat stable dung, and leaving it thus until the 

 time arrives for sowing the seed. Then it will be well to level down 

 and point in half a spade deep a thin coat of rotten dung to make 

 a nice kindly seed-bed. 



In any case where a soil known to be unsuitable for Asparagus, 

 as a damp clay or pasty loam, has to be made the best of for the pur- 

 pose, it will be found an economical practice to remove the top spit, 

 which we suppose to be turf or old cultivated soil, and on the space 

 so cleared prepare a bed of the best mixture possible under the 

 circumstances. Towards this mixture we have the top spit just 

 referred to. Add to this, lime rubbish from destroyed buildings, 

 sand, peat, leaf-mould, surface soil raked from the rear of the 

 shrubberies &c., and the result should be a good compost obtained 

 at an almost nominal cost. 



At this juncture several questions of considerable importance arise. 

 And first, whether the crop shall be grown on the flat or in raised 

 beds. Where the soil is sufficiently deep, and the drainage perfect, 

 the flat system answers well. The advantages of raised beds are 

 that they deepen the soil, assist the drainage, promote warmth, 

 and thus aid the growth of an early crop. In fact, raised beds 



