THE KITCHEN-GARDEN. 199 



tributed species of vegetables than asparagus. It 

 is " a native of the sea-coasts of various countries 

 of Europe and Asia." According to Loudon, it is 

 abundant on the sandy steppes in the interior of 

 Russia. In Southern Russia and Poland the horses 

 and cows feed upon it. It grows freely in the fens 

 of Lincolnshire, and is indigenous to Cornwall. 

 On the borders of the Euphrates the shoots are 

 so extraordinarily large and vigorous that Thomp- 

 son thinks it would be to the advantage of gar- 

 deners to import roots from that region. These 

 facts may indicate that too much stress may have 

 been laid on its character as a marine plant. Yet 

 it is true that it grows naturally on the coast of 

 Holland, in the sandy valleys and on the downs, 

 while off Lizard Point it flourishes naturally on an 

 island where, in gales, the sea breaks over the 

 roots. In this country also it has escaped cultiva- 

 tion, and is establishing itself along our coasts. 

 The truth is that it is a plant endowed with a re- 

 markable power of adaptation to all soils and cli- 

 mates, and does not need the extravagant petting 

 often given it. On different portions of my place 

 chance seeds have fallen, and annually produce 

 almost as fine heads as are cut from the garden. 

 Nature therefore teaches what experience verifies, 

 that asparagus is one of the most easily grown 

 and inexpensive vegetables of the garden. From 



