ASPARAGUS 33 



Cutting should cease at midsummer, and weed 

 growth must never be allowed, but salt dressings at 

 the times advised will check this development. As 

 the plants attain age, a surface dressing of rich soil 

 and bone meal will be beneficial, and early in the 

 spring to hasten growth place a few inches of light 

 litter over the surface of the beds, removing it to 

 the alleys in the daytime, as frost often occurs at 

 that season of the year. The best varieties are : 

 Connover's Colossal, the Argenteuil, Giant or Batter- 

 sea, and Sutton's Giant. 



Forcing. Asparagus may be forced in various 

 ways. When the roots are lifted they can be forced 

 with little trouble in a warm house, the temperature 

 of which does not exceed 60, indeed 5 lower will 

 suffice, as too much heat means a weakly growth. In 

 many gardens there is no space to grow roots for 

 forcing ; it must be remembered that once the roots 

 are forced they are useless, also that at the least they 

 take three years, sometimes more, to attain sufficient 

 size for the purpose. There is, however, no difficulty 

 in purchasing roots ready grown for forcing, and these 

 will provide a supply until the beds are ready. To get 

 forced Asparagus quickly bottom heat may be used ; 

 but it is well to provide this sparingly, as without 

 bottom heat, simply by starting the roots in a warm 

 house, less than a month will suffice to produce the 

 forced material. With lifted roots to keep up a regu- 

 lar supply, say, to begin cutting in the early part of 

 December, about half a dozen batches of plants in 



3 



