93 



up with the weeds. The year you plant them, cover 

 them with straw during the winter, that they may not 

 be killed. In the beginning of the spring after, dress 

 and weed them. The third year after you have sown 

 them, burn the haulm in the beginning of the spring. 

 Do not weed them before the plants come up, that 

 you may not hurt the stools. The third or fourth 

 year, you may pluck them close by the root ; if you 

 break them off they yield side shoots, and some will 

 die. You may take them until they run to seed. 

 The seed is ripe in autumn. When you have ga- 

 thered the seed, burn the haulm ; and when the 

 plants begin to shoot, weed and manure. After eight 

 or nine years, when the beds are old, lay out a spot, 

 work and manure it well, then make drills where you 

 -may plant some roots ; set them well apart, that you 

 may dig between them. Take care that the roots may 

 not be injured. Carry as much sheep-dung as you 

 can on the beds ; it is best for this purpose ; other 

 manures produce w-eeds." 



Columella, Palladius, and Didymus, also give us 

 some more particulars of the Roman Asparagus cul- 

 ture, but nothing worthy of quotation in addition to 

 the directions of Cato. That the culture adopted, 

 combined with the mildness of the climate, was very 

 favourable to the growth of this vegetable is quite 

 credible, and we do not withhold credit from the rela- 

 tive statements of Pliny and Athenosus. Pliny states, 



