122 THE KITCHEN GARDEN. [Feb. 



Or you may on the approach of severe frosts, take up a sufficient 

 quantity with as little injury to the roots as possible, which may be 

 planted in sand or dry earth in a warm cellar, in the same manner 

 as directed for planting them in the frame, covering their crowns 

 about an inch, observing not to crowd the plants for fear of their 

 becoming mouldy; and in mild weather ventilate the cellar as often 

 as possible, to prevent any bad effect to the roots from stagnant air: 

 but when it can be done, it will be much better to take up the plants 

 out of their beds according as you want them. 



The necessary quantity for a three light frame is from three to 

 four hundred plants, and so in proportion for any number of frames; 

 the plants in such beds ought to be set very close, in order that by 

 having as many as possible in each frame, they may produce a pro- 

 portionable supply to recompense sufficiently for the trouble and 

 expense of forcing them. 



A bed for this purpose is to be made in like manner as those 

 directed for cucumbers in pages 12 and 13, but very substantial; 

 then put on the frame, and earth it all over six or seven inches deep, 

 for the immediate reception of the plants. 



The bed being made and earthed as above, and a sufficient quantity 

 of plants in readiness, proceed to planting by raising at one end a 

 small ridge of earth about three or four inches high, against which 

 place a row of plants close to one another, drawing some earth to 

 the bottom of the roots, then place others against these in the 

 same manner, and so continue until the frame is full, all having 

 their tops or crowns upright and of an equal level. When the 

 whole bed is thus planted, cover the crowns of the roots all over 

 with light rich earth, about two inches deep, which concludes the 

 work for the present. 



You may now put on the lights, which are to be kept open, 

 raised high behind, or slided down every day, except in very severe 

 weather, but at night let them be closed: give all the air possible so 

 that you do not suffer the earth in the bed to be frozen or chilled, 

 by rain or snow, till the buds begin to appear, when you are to give 

 them another covering of three or four inches of the same kind of 

 mould as before, so that the crowns may be covered in the whole 

 about six inches deep. 



But it must be remarked that for the first week or fortnight 

 after the bed is made and the asparagus planted, that the state of 

 its warmth should be every day carefully examined; for that pur- 

 pose thrust two or three sharp pointed sticks down betwixt the 

 roots into the dung in different parts of the bed; when upon draw- 

 ing up the sticks once or twice a day, and feeling the lower ends, 

 you can readily judge of the degree of heat, which if found very 

 violent, threatening to burn the earth and scorch the roots of the 

 plants, it must be moderated by boring with a long thick stake 

 several wide holes in the dung on each side of the bed, also in the 

 earth just under the roots, to admit the air, and to let the rank 

 steam and burning quality of the dung pass off* more freely; but 

 when the heat is become moderate, the holes must be closed again. 



