1830] 



FARINIERS' REGISTER. 



153 



These, we suppose, are the things intended to be 

 claimed by the jour improvers of the' horse powen 



For a Hill Side and Horizontal Plough; John 

 W. Jordan, Lexington, Rockbridge county, Vir- 

 ginia, October 28. 



Tlie clann made is to "the combinalion and ar- 

 rangement of the parts of the described plough, 

 but particularly the form of the mould-board, and 

 the manner of reversing it, though no claim is 

 made to the principle of revolving mould-boards," 

 As respects "the Jbrtn of the mould-boards," it 

 is said to resemble "two moutd-boards ol the 

 M'Cormick pattern, (a right and a left hand,) 

 united by their upper edges." Tht,re are nume- 

 rous points of detail, showing, by relerencc to 

 drawintrs, the particular manner in which the pa- 

 tentee constructs and connects the various parts of 

 his plough; but nothing which bespeaks it supe- 

 rior to other hill-side ploughs, many of which have 

 been patented. 



From the Quarterly Journal of Agriculture (of March 1836.) 

 THE CULTURE OF ASPARAGUS. 



By J. Towers, Author of the Domestic Gardener's 

 Manuel, &c. 



jisparagiis is a native of the sea shores of Bri- 

 tain, though, according to Dr. Hooker, it is rarely 

 iound in Scotland: it is worthless in its native ori- 

 ginal state, but, as every one knows, is susceptible 

 of the greatest improvement by culture, and be- 

 comes highly luxuriant in a richly manured, light, 

 and mellow loam. The young sprouting stems, 

 as they emerge from the soil, are used for the ta- 

 ble; and these, if suffered to grow, and become 

 fully developed, form one of most graceful among 

 the productions of herbaceous vegetation: the nu- 

 merous branching lateral stalks, produce innumer- 

 able lulled, minute leaves, of the most lively and 

 delicate green; at the angles (axillcB) of the smaller 

 branches two or three pendulous flowers are situ- 

 ated; they are greenish, bell-shaped, and without 

 any particular odor. Each flower consists of a 

 calyx of six deeply cut segments — six stamens — 

 one very short style, and its stigma cut into three 

 divisions and a germen, becoming a scarlet globu- 

 lar berry, which contains one or more perfect seeds 

 in its three cells. This plant forms, with others of 

 the same genus, one of the families of the Aspho- 

 del tribe, 2/sphodelecB of the natural system. How, 

 and at what period, the plant was brought into 

 cultivation, it would now be vain to inquire; but 

 it appears probable that, in England, it was little 

 known before the. seventeenth century. 



The modes of cultivation practised with a view 

 to bring the vegetable to the highest state of per- 

 fection, in the different countries of Europe, are 

 too numerous and complicated to be now alluded 

 to, much less described. It will be my aim to 

 point out two processes by which fine highly- 

 flavored shoots may be abundantly produced. I'lie 

 one is not so much in fashion as formerly, but it 

 posse-sses great convenietices; the other is more 

 novel, and perhaps more scientific, as it may be 

 made to coniform to the hypothesis of radical exu- 

 dation. The physiological reader will readily per- j 

 ceive, that, by adopting it, he can introduce other i 

 veiretables between every row of his asparagus, \ 



Vol. IV-20 



and thus avail himself of the nutritive niattera 

 wliich their radical processes yield to the soil: 

 However, I s-hall simplity my directions, and con^ 

 fine them to the jjroccss oi' forcing early aspara^ 

 gusi These will be brought under one view in tha 

 succeeding notice of sea-kale. 



Culture in Bedf. — This is the method that hag 

 been adopted (or a number of years, and recom- 

 mended by most writers; but there exists great 

 diflerence of opinion as to the way in which the 

 beds ought to be Ibrmed. Much of the perma- 

 nent success will depend upon the nature of the 

 staple soil; and I hesitate not to say, that, unles.s 

 the garden afford one which is light, loamy, and 

 tree Irom stones of any considerable size, to the 

 depth of two led at the least, the whole plot 

 ought to be formed artificially, and the best mate- 

 rial for the work is the thin turf of a meadow of 

 short growing grass, or that of a common, where 

 sheep abound. Such a soil is replete with vegeta- 

 ble, decomposable matters; and. in fact, Is very 

 suitable to the cultivation of every product of the 

 garden, unless it be that of a few vegetables 

 which prefer a stiff soil, or one of an entirely oppo- 

 site description, and approaching to the nature of 

 sand. 



Turf may, however} prove a defective material, 

 if it be produced upon clay or stifl' loam; but, in 

 in ordinary cases, that of a common, or sheep- 

 walk is of a medium texture, and breaks down 

 into a rich light earth, which, while it can be dig- 

 ged and pulverized with freedom, is also suffi- 

 ciently compact in texture and retentive of mois- 

 ture. If a store of turf, an inch and a half in 

 thickne-ss, could be readily obtained, I should pre- 

 fer it to any other species of earth whatever. Au 

 asparagus bed is not the work of a day; if well 

 laid out and properly planted, it endures for years, 

 and repays any Ordinary cost and exertions; but it 

 would be better not to undertake it at all, than to 

 perform it in an unskilful and slovenly manner. If 

 the soil of the plot selected be already free to the 

 spade, deep, and equable, it may be brought into 

 a state nearly equal to good natural turfy loam, by 

 the liberal addition of a well reduced and black leal- 

 mould. Having thus premised, I would recom- 

 mend the formation of two beds by the process 

 now to be described: the one will exhibit the pro- 

 gress of the plant from the seed, and perhaps will 

 f()rm the most perliict plantation; the other will 

 con)e into full bearing at an earlier period, but not; 

 by any means so much so as many persons are 

 apt to imagine. 



Preparation of the Beds. — Select a piece of 

 ground of about thirty f(;et long, ten feet wide, 

 and open to the full south sun, so that its rays may 

 (ivil in the direction of the length of the beds. 

 Open a trench, two feet wide at one end, and wheel 

 the earth to the opposite end, or rather to a spot 

 two or three feet beyoml it: this implies that the soil 

 is good, otherwise it should be wheeled or carted 

 away, to be em|)loycd for other purposes. Have 

 ready, and close by the plot, six cart-loads, at the 

 least, of well-wrought leaf-soil, sea-weed, or, in 

 default of either, of perfectly good spit-dung. If 

 fine turf be eniployed, one-half of the above 

 quantity of the enriching substances will be sufli- 

 cient. The first and every succeeding trench is to 

 be digged and cleaned out at the bottom, to the 

 depth of two feet or more, as the good soil may 

 indicate. It has been recommended to trench lour 



