158 



St, Sebastian must be very useful as a mulching ; or, 

 in other words, it will ward off part of the intense 

 sunshine. 



At Marchienne, in French Flanders, particularly 

 noted for fine Asparagus, the plants are inserted two 

 feet and a half distant from each other, at one foot 

 from the edge of the bed, in the quincunx order. 

 The roots are covered an inch thick with earth, on 

 which are laid two inches of dung, or good hot-bed 

 soil ; and at last two inches more of mould. That 

 the earth may not be unequally pressed, or partially 

 condensed, a slight board is used for treading on. 

 During the two first years after planting, the shoots 

 should not be gathered for use, that the plants may 

 gain strength ; for should a single shoot be cut during 

 that interval, it would materially hurt the plant, not 

 only in preventing its acquiring its natural size, but 

 also in shortening its duration. A bed well managed 

 may last at least from twenty-five to thirty years. In 

 the two first years the plants must be uncovered, 

 about the end of November, down to the bud or top 

 of the shoot, and covered again with five or six inches 

 of good rotten dung, and left so till the month of 

 April. The earth taken out in November, which has 

 remained, during the whole winter, on the sides of 

 the bed, and has been of course improved by the 

 action of the atmosphere, is to be thrown over the 

 plants again in April, to the depth of six inches. 



