129 



October, and pointing over the surface, about 2 in, 

 deep with a fork, and leaving it as rough as possible. 

 Early in March, when the surface is quite dry, it is 

 raked down, and about 2 inches of soil drawn over the 

 crowns from each side of the rows, which gives the 

 ground something of the appearance of a plot of peas 

 earthed up for the first time ; when the gathering is 

 nearly over, the ground is stirred again to loosen the 

 trampling made in gathering the crop. The hollow 

 between the little ridges is then filled up with a 

 powerful compost, consisting of equal portions of 

 sandy soil, leaf mould, and pigeon's dung; the whole 

 is then drenched with liquid manure from the 

 stables, cowhouses, or laundry, and the foreman of the 

 kitchen garden gets carte blanche to water the Aspa- 

 ragus any day through the growing season, when he 

 can best spare his men, or, at all events, every 

 fortnight, and always with liquid manure, if possible ; 

 as to the quantity of water, the only instruction he 

 gets is, that he cannot drown them. This is culti- 

 vating the Asparagus in summer. In very dry 

 seasons, it is of great advantage to mulch in between 

 the rows with short grass, or any litter. Some have 

 an idea that the frost should be kept from Asparagus, 

 and go to some trouble to do so, but it is in reality as 

 hardy as the oak, or any other of our native plants. 

 {Gard. Chron. 1843, 387.) So far is Mr. Coulam, 

 f f Louth, in Lincolnshire, from thinking Asparagus 



K 



