Dressing Asparagus-Beds. 153 



the whole, I think it will be admitted we have great reason for congratula- 

 tion, upwards of fifty new evergreen-trees having been found adapted to our 

 climate. Such an accession to the meagre list of some half-dozen now 

 seen, consisting principally of the Norway, Hemlock, Balsam Fir, White and 

 Austrian Pines, Scotch Fir, with an occasional Silver Fir, cannot fail to have 

 a most happy influence in the advancement of public taste, and add mate- 

 rially to the resources of those, who, tired of the excitement of the city, 

 seek occupation and enjoyment in rural pursuits. By their great numbers 

 and beauty, they will be found invaluable to the skilful planter in his at- 

 tempts to give greater variety to his plantations, and in producing examples 

 of the highest order of merit in the beautiful art of landscape-gardening. 



Though it cannot be denied that evergreens possess many great advan- 

 tages over deciduous trees for many purposes, it is occasionally urged 

 against them, that their perpetual verdure produces a dull and gloomy effect; 

 and, of course, it is possible that their introduction in too large proportions 

 may render them open to this objection in the minds of a few persons, as in 

 the case of the famous Elvaston Castle in England, where it is generally 

 considered the evergreen feature has been overdone, its enthusiastic pro- 

 prietor having confined his extensive plantations almost exclusively to 

 evergreen-trees. It is not probable, however, that any one in this country 

 will go to the same extent in that direction, as may be inferred from the 

 fact that I was told by a nurseryman that he furnished him on one occasion 

 with three thousand pounds' worth of a single shrub, the Golden Yew. 



H. H. Hunnewell. 



Dressing Asparagus-Beds. — When the stems become yellow, they should 



be cut off close to the ground : the beds may then be covered with from 



three to six inches of half-decayed manure, and the soil from the alleys 



neatly dug out, and thrown on the beds. The only good that can result 



from the stalks being spread over the beds before covering with manure 



will arise from the berries being left on the beds, and young plants coming 



up in the following year. Some pick off the berries, and scatter them 



on the beds, covering with manure afterwards, and remove the stalks : 



others remove the stalks and weeds, and then cover with manure. The 



one plan is as good as the other. 



" Journal of Horticulture.^ 



VOL. I. 20 



