Feb.] The Kitchen Garden. 57 



allowing for it to be three or four inches wider on every 

 fide than the frame, and make it a yard high at leall, and 

 when at its proper height, level the top even and fmooth: 

 then directly, without putting on the frame, as yet, earth 

 it all over hx or feven inches thick, for the immediate 

 reception of the plants, for no time maft be loft in making- 

 the moft of the hot-bed in forcing afparagus ; but remark- 

 ing the frame muft not yet be put on, for the heat of the 

 bed being very ftrong at iirft, the framing it wou4d make 

 it heat too violently. 



The bed being made, and earthed as above, then having- 

 a proper quantity of afparagus plants, proceed to place them 

 on the furface of the earth, previoafly raifmg at one end a 

 fmall ridge of earth five or fix inches- high, ngainlt whicli 

 to place the firft courfe of plants. I'his done, mark orr 

 the furface the width of the frame, and then begin and 

 place the plants againft tliis little ridge of earth, as clofe to 

 one another as poffible, then place others againft thefe iit 

 the fame manner ; and fo continue laying them one againft 

 another, as clofe every way as poifible to the width of the 

 mark for the frame, from one end to the other of the bed. 

 With their tops or crowns all upright, and of an equal le- 

 vel r then when the whole bed is thus planted, let fome 

 moift earth be diredly banked up againft the outfide roots, 

 all around, as high as their tops ; which done, cover the 

 crowns of the roots all over with light rich earth, about 

 two inches thick, which concludes the work for the pre- 

 fent ; till the buds or young fhoots of the afparagus begin 

 to appear through the earth. 



V/hen the buds therefore of the afparagus begin to ap- 

 pear through the furface of the earth, then prepare to add 

 another portion of three or four inches depth of more 

 mold : previous to this, a wreath of thick ftraw-bands 

 fhould be fixed round the top of the earth of the bed, clofe 

 to the edge, to fecure this farther fupply of earth, and to 

 place the frame on : for this purpofe make fome large ftraw- 

 bands or ropes, three or four inches thick ; and having a 

 quantity of fmall, Iharp-pointed wooden pegs, fix the ftraw- 

 band down neatly along the top of the earth, next the 

 edge, juft in the proper place, to receive the bottom of the 

 frame, for it ferves both to fecure the fecond covering of 

 earth, and fupport the frame, when it is put on ; when the 

 wreath is thus fixed, then cover the young buds of the af- 

 D 5 paragU5 



