114 VEGECULTURE 



may be trenched and well-manured several times before the 

 plantation is made at least once in the autumn and again 

 during the winter. After that is done, the soil should be ridged. 

 Should such procedure be inconvenient, however, a good 

 Asparagus-bed will be forthcoming by deeply digging and manur- 

 ing the soil in the ordinary manner. Where the soil is not of a 

 good character, the top-spit must be removed entirely, the 

 subsoil thoroughly broken-up and manured, and upon it placed 

 a better medium to provide a surface soil. The bed may be 

 made on the level surface or raised a few inches. It depends 

 upon the quality of the soil and the situation thereof as to 

 what course shall be pursued in this direction ; but the raised 

 bed makes for drainage, for one thing, and assists in the im- 

 provement of indifferent soils. It is best to emphasize the 

 importance of perfect drainage when the plants are grown upon 

 the level surface. The rows may be, for an average crop, 

 about one and a half foot to two feet apart, and the plants one 

 foot to one and a half foot apart in the rows. 



Seeds are sown in April, three inches deep, in dibbled holes, 

 two or three seeds being dropped in each hole, subsequently 

 thinning the seedlings to one plant only, when about six inches 

 high. Plants may be secured, if more convenient, and placed 

 at the same distances apart as the seed-stations. They should 

 not be planted too deeply. Future culture consists chiefly 

 in keeping the bed free from weeds a most important thing, 

 for otherwise ruin results. To do this more effectively, narrow 

 beds, say, three feet wide (with a small pathway between), 

 carrying a couple of rows of plants, are advisable. 



As soon as the shoots appear above ground, in early spring, 

 a light covering of hay, straw, grass cuttings, leaf-mould, or 

 similar material, may be placed over them, both as a protection 

 from frost and a means of blanching. This litter can be 

 removed after the month of May has passed, or perhaps left 

 to enrich the bed. The shoots may be cut with a. sharp knife 

 just below the surface of the bed, or pulled with a twist there- 

 from ; but extreme care should be exercised in the operation, 

 or great injury will be done to the roots and younger shoots. 

 Cutting should cease by the end of June. In exposed positions 

 supporting stakes or sticks should be given to the subsequent 

 light-stemmed, feathery foliage. As soon as these leafy stems 

 change colour, in the autumn, they should be cut down close 

 to the ground, the beds thoroughly cleaned and raked or lightly 

 and carefully forked over. This latter operation should be 



