BOOK XIX. xLii. 1-16-150 



niakincc a longer stalk simultaneously tops ofF into 

 grooved protuberances. It can also be grown from 

 seed. No subject included by Cato is treated more 

 carcfully, and it is the last topic of his book, showing 

 that it was a novelty just creeping in. His advice is 

 to dig over a place with a damp or heavy soil and sow 

 the seeds six inches apart each way, so as to avoid 

 treading on them ; and moreover to put two or 

 three secds in each hole, made with a dibble along a 

 Hne — obviously at that time asparagus was only 

 £frown from seed. He recommends doinjr this after 

 the vernal equinox, using plenty of dung, fre- 

 quently cleaning with the hoe, taking care not to 

 puU up the asparagus with the weeds, in the first 

 year protecting the plants against winter with straw, 

 uncovering them in spring and hoeing and stubbing 

 the ground ; and setting fire to the plants in thc third 

 spring. The earlier asparagus is burnt otf, the better 

 it thrives, and consequently it is specially suitable 

 for growing in reed-beds, which burn speedily. He 

 also advises not hoeing the beds before the asparagus 

 springs up, for fear of disturbing the roots in the pro- 

 cess of hoeing ; next plucking offthe asparagus heads 

 close to the root, because if they are broken otF, the 

 plant runs to stalk and dies off ; going on plucking 

 them till they run to seed (which begins to mature 

 towards spring-time) and burning theni ofF, and wlien 

 the asparagus plants have appeared, hocing tlicm ovcr 

 again and manuring them. Nine years later, he says, 

 whcn the phints are now old, tliey must be separated 

 and the ground worked over and manured, and then 

 they must be replanted with the tufts spaced out a 

 foot apart. Moreover he expressly specifies using 

 sheeps' dung, as other manure produces weeds. No 



