ASPARAGUS 



ASPHODEL 



411 



plant in a corner or at one side of it 50 or 100 asparagus 

 roots for his family, as no other use of that spot, ordi- 

 narily, may be expected to g.iv-e more real benefit, enjoy- 

 ment and value. The number of roots named will 

 under average conditions give all the stalks that a 

 large family could use, and several times the quantity 

 that a person of ordinary means would feel able to pur- 

 chase for the family table in the open market. For the 

 market-gardener, especially one with a regular retail 

 trade, few if any vegetables offer equal chances of 

 profit and regular returns and a sure income at a most 

 opportune time (spring). 



Enemies. — The a-sjiaragua rust {Puccinia asparagi) 

 has often done considerable damage. Planting rust- 

 resistant varieties is the best procedure. Argenteuil 

 and Reading Giant afford the best relief. Dusting 

 completely with flowers of sulfur when the dew is on, 

 and after the cutting season, is the best remedy; two 

 apphcations, three or four weeks intervening, are 

 usually sufficient. 



Of insect enemies, two have become well known on 

 asparagus plants in America, namely, the common 

 asparagus beetle {Crioceris asparagi) and the twelve- 

 spotted asparagus beetle (C 12-punetata). The follow- 

 ing remedies are recommended: chickens and ducks; 

 close cutting of the young shoots in the early season, 

 and the use of arsenate of lead or of dry arsenites 

 dusted on the dew-wet plants after the cutting period. 



The subject of asparagus and asparagus-growing is 

 treated in the following books and bulletins: Asparagus, 

 by F. M. Hexamer, Orange Judd Company. Farmers' 

 Bulletin No. 61 (Asparagus Culture), issued by the 

 Department of Agriculture, Washington, D. C. Bulle- 

 tin No. 151 of the Maryland Station (FertiUzers for 

 Asparagus). Bulletin No. 34 of the Missouri Station 

 (Asparagus and Rhubarb Culture). Bulletins Nos. 

 165 and 172 of the CaUfornia Station (Asparagus and 

 Asparagus Rust in California). X. Grbiner. 



ASPASIA (Greek personal name). Orchiddcex. 

 Epiphytic hothouse orchids. 



Stems thickened into pseudobulbs, 1- or 2-lvd. : 

 racemes lateral; sepals and petals nearly alike, spread- 

 ing; Up with the claw adnate to the column, the blade 

 spreading; lateral lobes distinct or confluent with the 

 middle lobe; pollinia2. — Species about 8, ranging from 

 Cent. Amer. to Brazil. 



epidendroides, Lindl. Pseudobulbs, oblong, 2-edged: 

 Ivs. linear-lanceolate: racemes of 2-4 fls.; sepals and 

 petals whitish yellow, streaked with brown; hp white, 

 dotted with purple. Panama. B.M. 3962. 



Itmata, Lindl. Pseudobulbs, 2-edged, oblong: Ivs. 

 oblong-hgulate, up to 6 in. long: fls. single, or rarely 2; 

 sepals and petals linear-lanceolate, acuminate, green 

 or yellowish, marked with violet-purple; Mp white, 

 marked with purple. S. Brazil. 



variegata, Lindl. Pseudobulbs ovate or oblong, 2- 

 edged: Ivs. lanceolate-hgulate, up to 8 in. long: raceme 

 of 2 or 3 fls.; sepals oblong-lanceolate, acute, greenish 

 or yellowish, marked with interrupted longitudinal 

 black-purple lines; petals obovate-oblong, acute, yellow- 

 ish veined with purrjle; lip white, yellowish at the base, 

 spotted with purple. S. Amer. B.M. 3679. B.R. 1907. 



George V. Nash. 



ASPEN: Povuha. 

 ASPERELLA: Hystrix. 



ASPERULA {rmtghish; referring to Ivs.). Rubiacex. 

 Woodruff. Mostly dwarf hardy herbs, for borders, 

 rock garrlerLs and shady places. 



.Annual or perennial: sts. square: Ivs. whorled (some 

 of the Ivs. are really stipules) : fls. many, small, mostly 

 4-parted, produced freely from May to July; corolla 

 funnelform, which distinguishes it from the closely 

 related Galium in which the corolla is rotate. — About 

 80 species in Eu., Asia and Austral. 



The commonest species is A. odorata, the Wald- 

 meister of the Germans, which is used in their Mai- 

 trank, or May wine, and in summer drinks. The dried 

 leaves have a hay-like fragrance, lasting for years, and 

 are often kept with clothes. The plant occasionally 

 escapes from gardens. A. hexaphylla, with its dehcate, 

 misty spray, is used with sweet peas and other cut- 

 flowers that are incUned to look lumpy. Other plants 

 for this purpose are Gypsophila paniculata, Statice lali- 

 folia, and several gahums, all of which have small, 

 abundant flowers in loose panicles on long, slender stems. 



In half-shaded and moist soil, asperulas grow vei}' 

 luxuriantly until late fall. In dry and sunny places 

 they soon become stunted, and die down before the 

 season is over. 



Propagation is by division and by seeds. 



A. Plants perennial: fls. white or pink. 

 B. Corollas 4-lobed. 



odorata, Linn. Sweet Woodruff. Fig. 412. Habit 

 erect or ascending: height 6-8 in. : Ivs. usually in whorls 

 of 8, lanceolate, finely 

 toothed or roughish at 

 the margin: coroUas 

 campanulate : seeds 

 rough. Eu. and Ori- 

 ent. Eng.Bot. 2:775. 

 Bax-t-er Brit. Bot. 

 1 : 46. — Increases 

 rapidly, and is used 

 for carpeting shady 

 places, and for edg- 

 ings. 



Gussdnei, Boiss. 

 (A. suberosa, Guss.). 

 A glaucous, smooth, 

 usually cespitose per- 

 ennial suitable only 

 for the rock-garden : 

 Ivs. small, in pairs, 

 some ovate-oblong, the rest lanceolate-linear: fls. at the 

 ends of the branches, the corolla smooth and pinkish, 

 not showy. Sicily. — A graceful Uttle alpine. 



hexaphylla. All. Plant-st. glabrous: habit ascending, 

 slender: height 1-2 ft.: Ivs. in whorls of 6, linear, acute, 

 rough: corollas tubular-funnel-shaped: panicles very 

 loose; fls. larger than the bracts: seeds smooth. Italy, 

 Hungary, Pyrenees on high passes and dry mountain- 

 sides. — Well-grown specimens may be 3 ft. in diam. and 

 nearly as high. 



hirta, Ramond. A many-stemmed hairy perennial, 

 suitable for the alpine garden: sts. 4-sided, with verti- 

 cillate Ivs. in 6's: Ivs. linear, l-nerved: fls. small, pink- 

 ish. Rocky situations in the Pyrenees. July, Aug. 



BB. Corollas often 3-lobed. 

 tinctoria, Linn. Dyer's Woodruff. Habit pro- 

 cumbent unless supported: height 1-2 ft., the st. pur- 

 plish: Ivs. hnear; lower ones in 6's, middle ones in 4's, 

 uppermost ones in 2's: bracts ovate: fls. reddish on out- 

 side: roots large, creeping widely, reddish. Dry hills 

 and rocks of Eu. 



AA. Plants annual: fls. blue. 



orientalis, Boiss. & Hohen. (A. azitrea and A. setbsa, 



Jaub. & Spach. A. aziirea-selbsa and A. selbsa-azurea, 



Hort.). Height 1 ft.: Ivs. in whorls of 8, lanceolate, 



bristly: fls. longer than the bracts. Eu. and Orient. 



.4. cundnchina, Linn. 9-12 in., glabrous: fls. corymbose on erect 

 peduncles: Ivs. 4 to a whorl. Eu. and Asia. — A. longifldra, Waldst. 

 6-S in., weak, glabrous: fls. white, yellowish inside: Ivs. 4 to a whorl, 

 linear-lanceolate. Eu. — .4. tauri?ia. Linn. 1 ft., erect, smooth: fls. in 

 fasciculately umbelled corymbs, white: Ivs. 3-nerved, ciliate, 4 to a 

 wliorl. Perhaps not hardy N. S. Eu. 



412. Asperula odorata. (XI) 



WiLHELM Miller. N. Taylor. t 



ASPHODEL: Asphodeline and Asphodelus. 



