112 



ragus wants is a good body of a sort of humus pro- 

 duced by decayed vegetable matter, interspersed with 

 much sand; receiving moisture in abundance with 

 freedom, and parting with it again with certainty and 

 dispatch. 



If a soil is naturally too tenacious for Asparagus — 

 and it must be borne in mind that in a clayey soil no 

 cultivation will make it succeed — a few loads of 

 lighter soil had better be procured for making the 

 beds. If this be unattainable, the only resource is to 

 reduce the tenacity of the soil by a large admixture 

 of pulverized oyster-shells, bone-dust, and ashes. 



"We are glad to find that others conversant with the 

 culture of this vegetable agree with us in our estimate 

 of the importance of good drainage to this crop. Thus 

 Mr. J. Cox says, whatever mode of planting be 

 adopted, whether in single rows or beds, it should be 

 remembered that the basis of success is a perfectly 

 dry subsoil. Consequently, wherever the subsoil is 

 not naturally a dry one, it is highly advisable to adopt 

 some other means to lay it dry, in addition to the or- 

 dinary drainage, which should always be good. This 

 has been done in a very effective manner, by remov- 

 ing the soil to a greater depth than is usually con- 

 sidered necessary, and placing a layer of blackthorn 

 bushes at the bottom, which were covered with turfy 

 sods not chopped, then a layer of strong manure, 

 filled up with soil and manure alternately. The finest 



