151 



off with the finger and thumb. If due care be exer- 

 cised, the knife is the best mode, for it least disturbs 

 the roots, and less hability of injury occurs than does 

 by having to uncover the shoot and to thrust the 

 thumb and finger into the soil. 



In May the beds are in full production of young 

 shoots, which, when from two to five inches high, are 

 fit for cutting, and as long as the head continues com- 

 pact and firm. Care must be taken in cutting not to 

 injure those buds which are generally rising from the 

 same root in various grades of successional growth 

 vithin the ground. The knife ought to be narrow 

 pointed, the blade about nine inches in length, and 

 saw-edged, as thus 

 represented. The 

 eaith being care- 

 fuly opened round the "shoot, to observe whether any 

 olhers are arising, the blade is to be gently slipped 

 alcng the stalk until it reaches its extremity, where 

 tht cut is to be made in a slanting direction. It 

 alnost always occurs that the same stool produces a 

 greiter number of small heads than large ones, but 

 the latter only should be cut ; for, the oftener the 

 forner are removed, the more numerous will they be 

 procuced, and the stools will sooner become exhausted. 



Il the beds be sufficiently large to furnish a supply, 

 the \sparagus shoots should be cut as fast as they 

 appar, otherwise they must be left till the quantity 



