1062 



Gardening for Amateurs 



this choice and valuable vegetable. For 

 ordinary cultivation see that the land is 

 well drained, deeply trenched, and enriched 

 with yard manure. If in rows the plants 



An Asparagus knife. 



should be 2 feet and the rows 2| feet 

 apart. Larger Asparagus is produced by 

 this method than by planting in beds. 



However, planting in beds is the usual, as 

 well as the most convenient, way in small 

 gardens. The beds should be 4 feet wide 

 and contain three rows of plants, one in the 

 centre and one on either side at a distance 

 from the central row of 15 inches ; 12 inches 

 should be the distance between plant and 

 plant in the row. If several beds are formed 

 side by side an alley 2J feet wide ought to 

 separate each bed. In preparing the ground 

 it is necessary to dig and manure the alleys 

 in the same way as the beds, for the roots of 

 Asparagus will soon reach there. 



Planting the Beds. The best time to plant 

 is towards the end of March. One-year- 

 old roots are the best, though those three 

 years old commence to yield produce the 

 same season. At the time of planting cover 

 the roots with 4 inches of soil. During the 

 first year the young plants will make fair 

 progress, greater the second year, and the 

 third year a few heads may be cut. The beds 

 will last for fifty years. Instead of purchas- 

 ing roots one may sow two seeds, 1 inch 

 deep, in March, at the same distance apart 

 as that recommended for plants. After the 

 young plants are above ground, pull up the 

 weaker of the two. Only one is needed ; 

 two are sown in case one fails to vegetate. 



Cutting Asparagus. Some care is essential 

 in cutting the " heads," or the buds near 

 the crown of the plant may be damaged. 

 Do not cut too low down, merely an inch or 

 so beneath the soil, using a proper Asparagus 

 knife. Asparagus ought not to be cut after 

 the third week in June, or the plants will 

 not have time to develop new crowns for next 

 year's crop. In dry weather the beds are 



much improved by an occasional watering 

 with liquid manure. 



Winter Treatment. As soon as the 

 " grass " or growth is ripe, at the end of 

 October, cut off the stems within a few 

 inches of the ground (saving any seed that 

 may be wanted), clear the beds of weeds, 

 fork over the surface, and cover over with 

 decayed manure to the depth of 3 inches. 

 Winter rains will wash the manurial proper- 

 ties to the roots, enriching the soil, and help- 

 ing to produce a heavy crop the following 

 spring. In March rake off the loose manure, 

 dig up the paths, and spread the soil from 

 there on the beds 4 inches deep ; this will 

 protect the beds from drying winds, and will 

 also partly blanch the Asparagus. The first 

 week in April apply a dressing of nitrate of 





The Chinese Artichoke. 



soda, 1 oz. to the square yard, raking it into 

 the soil. 



Connover's Colossal and the Purple-tipped 

 Argenteuil are the best varieties to plant. 



