98 



vegetable over the most of Europe, even in its most 

 northern divisions. Austria is particularly renowned 

 for growing it of a large size and excellent in fla- 

 vour. 



We have a statement in Keysler's Travels, pub- 

 lished in 1760, in which he says, that "the goodness 

 of the soil may be inferred from the largeness of the 

 Asparagus that grew last year at Damstadt, for one 

 head of it weighed half a pound." He further 

 adds, that the Austrian gardeners generally lay some 

 light sticks over the Asparagus when it appears 

 above the surface ; these shelter it from the incle- 

 mency of the weather, and cause it to shoot up 

 apace. Besides, by this contrivance it is kept soft, 

 for it is apt to become hard when exposed to cold 

 winds. 



Asparagus is more rare, and highly prized in Rus- 

 sia, as may be concluded from the following narrative 

 by Storch, in his " Description of St. Petersburgh." 

 Such tricks on culinary vegetables are of a nature too 

 gross, and involve too much manipulation, for being 

 practised or even credited in Britain, if not related 

 by an author worthy of belief. He says that, after 

 Asparagus has been used at the tables of the great, 

 the returned ends of the shoots are sold by the cook 

 to itinerating green-grocers, who carve a new termina- 

 ting bud, colour it, and add a bloom, in imitation of 

 nature, make up the ends so prepared in bundles, 



