134 



ASPARAGUS AND RHUBARB. 



to smaller ones for forcing. They may be placed rather 

 closely together in the frame, but the distance apart must 

 be regulated by their size. The roots should be spread 

 evenly over the surface and covered with 6 inches of 

 sand. Little water will be required, as the steam from 

 the manure affords considerable moisture, but if the bed 

 should become dry it may be moistened with water of the 

 same temperature as the soil in the frame. A little air 

 may be admitted when the day is bright and warm, to 

 keep the temperature from rising above 80 degrees. 

 When the points of the shoots begin to appear above the 

 sand the crop is ready to cut. Where ground is plentiful 

 a supply of forcing crowns can be kept up by sowing a 

 little seed every year, having five or six successions, the 

 oldest plants being forced for cutting." 



The forcing of pie-plant does not differ essentially from 

 the forcing of asparagus. Thoroughly established clumps 

 are dug in the fall, and these are packed in beds under- 

 neath the benches, sifting the soil in tightly between the 

 clumps, and then covering them with 2 to 6 inches of soil. 

 The temperature should range as for lettuce or roses, or 

 for very quick results it may be considerably higher. The 

 length of time required for securing the saleable product 

 is about the same as that required for asparagus, or per- 

 haps a little longer. About four or five weeks after the 

 planting under the benches is the usual time required for 

 the first profitable cutting. Paragon and Linnaeus varie- 

 ties may be used for the earliest results, but the best 

 crops are to be obtained from some of the larger kinds, 

 like Victoria and Mammoth. 



