82 A MANUAL OF 



plants will be good for setting in permanent 

 beds in spring. Two-year-old plants are very 

 frequently used, but a first-class one-year-old 

 is considered fully as valuable as one which, on 

 account of neglect, has occupied two years in 

 attaining a suitable size for setting. 



Asparagus plants are perfectly hardy, and 

 may be safely wintered in the beds without 

 protection, yet, if upon soil which is liable to 

 heave by frost, a slight covering will prevent 

 damage. 



STRAWBERRY PLANTS. 



SHOULD you ask persons who grow straw- 

 berries if they have any young plants to 

 spare, nine out of ten will say, " Oh, yes ! 

 thousands of them." You go after them, 

 and you will probably find an old bed which 

 has become matted with vines, yet when 

 you undertake to dig them it is with great 

 difficulty that you can obtain a dozen good 

 plants. There may be thousands, but they are 

 so crowded, and have occupied the ground so 

 long, that the majority of them are either too 



