166 A YEAR'S WORK IN THE VEGETABLE GARDEN 



It must not be expected, however, that the most brisk and skilful 

 can overtake those who have been doing well from the first dawn of 

 spring, and who have not omitted to sow a single seed at the proper 

 time from the day when seed-sowing became requisite. The heat of 

 the earth is now sufficient to start many seeds into growth that are 

 customarily sown in heat a month or two earlier ; and, therefore, 

 those who cannot make hot-beds may grow many choice things if 

 they will be content to have them a week or two later than their more 

 fortunate neighbours. In sowing seeds of the more tender subjects, 

 such as Capsicums, Marrows, and Cucumbers, it will be better to lose 

 a few days, in order to make sure of the result desired, rather than to 

 be in undue haste and have the seed destroyed by heavy rains, or the 

 young plants nipped off by frost. Do not, therefore, sow any of 

 these seeds in the open ground until the weather is somewhat settled 

 and sunny, for if they meet with any serious check they will scarcely 

 recover during the whole of the season. 



ASPARAGUS in seed-beds to be thinned as soon as possible, so 

 that wherever two or three plants rise together, the number should be 

 reduced to one. But there is time yet for seedlings to appear. The 

 bearing beds are more attractive, for they show their toothsome tops, 

 and to fill a basket with them while the grass is wet with dew is 

 a task for an artist as much as for a market woman who never heard 

 of aesthetics. The cutting must be done in a systematic manner, 

 and if practicable always by the same person. It is better to cut all 

 the shoots as fast as they acquire a proper size, and sort them for 

 use according to quality, rather than to pick and choose the fat 

 shoots and throw the whole plantation into disorder. Green-topped 

 Asparagus is in favour in this country ; but those who prefer it 

 blanched have simply to earth it up sufficiently, and cut below the 

 surface, taking care to avoid injuring the young shoots which have 

 not pushed through. It is not for us to decide on any matter of 

 individual taste, but we will give a word of practical advice that may 

 be of value to many. It is not the custom to protect Asparagus in 

 open beds ; but it should be, for the keen frosts that often occur when 

 the sticks are rising destroy a large number. This may be prevented 

 by covering with any kind of light, dry litter, which will not in the 

 least interfere with that full greening of the tops which English people 

 generally prefer, because the light and air will reach the plant ; but 

 the edge of the frost will be blunted by the litter. If there is nothing 

 at hand for this purpose, let a man go round with the sickle, and 

 cut a lot of long grass from the rough parts of the shrubbery, and put 



