146 



utmost limits, we may add that the destruction of the 

 leaves is eventually the destruction of the plant. 

 Those thread-like bodies v^hich clothe the stems of 

 the Asparagus in summer-time act as its leaves, and 

 are incessantly engaged in robbing air and earth of 

 the matter out of which future sprouts are to be 

 formed. That matter the stems convey down into 

 the roots, where it is stored up till it is wanted. The 

 more stems clothed with leaves, the more of such 

 matter, and, consequently, the stronger the sprouts in 

 the succeeding season ; and vice versa. If the sum- 

 mer shoots of Asparagus are strong, it is impossible 

 that the sprouts should be weak ; if the summer 

 shoots are weak, it is impossible that the sprouts 

 should be strong. These are facts about which there 

 can be no mistake ; but we fear they are far from 

 being always sufficiently considered. We know very 

 well that, in practice, gardeners will continue to cut 

 sprout after sprout of Asparagus, until the roots are 

 so much weakened, that the latter shoots, which are 

 allowed to grow, are thin, feeble, and evidently strug- 

 gling with exhaustion. Such debilitated shoots can 

 do little for the roots during the summer, they can 

 barely maintain their own existence, and are, conse- 

 quently, preparing no new matter out of which sprouts 

 can be formed the succeeding spring, when the crop 

 is, therefore, necessarily weak and worthless. The 

 conclusion to be drawn from this is obvious. No one 



