138 THE MANSE GARDEN. 



from old plants, in order to leave no more stems for 

 next crop than have room to grow, there is no diffi- 

 culty in finding materials for a young plantation. 

 Choose the deepest of your soil, keeping off the 

 borders with this as with all high growing crops, in 

 order not to shade the wall fruit ; and in April, for 

 each row of plants make a ditch two feet deep and 

 three feet wide, on the bottom of which spread a 

 layer of manure four inches thick. Then fill in half 

 the earth, putting that lowest which was formerly on 

 the top; and with the other half let more dung be 

 mixed in the course of filling up the trench. Set 

 the plants, three in a clump, eighteen inches separate; 

 and let the nearest part of each clump be at least a 

 yard distant from the nearest part of the next. The 

 roots will grow like stakes, penetrating the under 

 stratum of manure, and send up strong stems, with 

 large heads, for seven years, without requiring any 

 more trouble than a rough digging of the ground 

 before winter and a slight covering of litter in severe 

 frosts. 



Asparagus is no doubt a good thing ; but in point 

 of produce it is to the potato or turnip, or almost 

 any other crop, in the proportion of something like 

 one to a hundred. If you are not hampered as to 

 ground or other means, then it is well to have it; 

 for of all luxuries those of the vegetable kind are 

 the most harmless ; but it is a good rule either to 

 have it in plenty or not at all. No invidious dish 

 should ever be seen on any table ; for no good taste 

 can relish that of which there is not enough for every 

 one. The following is the mode of cultivating this 

 herb. Sow the seed in March, in drills six inches 



