646 PRACTICE OF GARDENING. Part III. 



A pin is put to each plant as a mark ; and as soon as the earth is settled and dry, a spadeful of fine sand 

 is thrown over each pin in the form of a mole-hill. 



3876. Extent of the plantation. An asparagus-compartment should not contain less than 

 a pole of ground, as it often needs this quantity to furnish a good dish at one time. For a 

 large family, about sixteen roods are kept in a productive state, which are calculated to 

 furnish, on an average, between two hundred and three hundred shoots every day in the 

 height of the season. (Neill, in Ed. Encyc.) 



3877. Abercrorribie says, when the buds come to be fully productive, five square poles of ground, planted 

 with 1600 plants, will yield from six to eight score heads daily. 



3878. Progressive culture. Permit the entire crop the two first years, and the greater 

 part of it the third year, to run up to stalks ; keeping the beds free from weeds, and stir- 

 ring the surface. It is a common practice to sow onions, lettuce, &c. the two first years 

 over the beds ; and to plant cauliflower in the alleys between them. The advantage of 

 this practice is questionable ; and, at all events, it should not be continued after the plants 

 are in full bearing. Judd, having dug out the alleys the first season, instead of repeating 

 that operation the next, lays on a coat of good dung three inches thick, and forks it evenly 

 into the beds and alleys, and so on every season after, " never digging out the alleys 

 any more, as it is known the asparagus-plant forms a fresh crown every season ; and 

 sometimes it happens, that in a few years the crown will increase almost into the alley ; 

 so, that by digging out this, you must inevitably spoil that plant : if this is not the case 

 when the beds are in good condition, the roots will be sure to work out at the sides into 

 the alleys, and by digging out the latter, these roots must be cut off, and you will often 

 see them exposed all the winter before dung can be got to fill them up ; rather than be 

 treated in this way, they had better be without any thing all the winter, as asparagus does 

 not suffer generally by frost. The first two years I have a very thin crop of celery-plants 

 or lettuce upon the beds, but nothing afterwards ; nor do I plant any thing in the alleys 

 after the same period, for I think the asparagus is injured thereby." 



3879. Autumn dressing. The following is the usual practice, as described by Aber- 

 crombie : " Towards the end of October or beginning of November, the stalks which have 

 run up to seed, having done growing, or begun to decay, cut them down close, and carry 

 them away ; then hoe off all weeds from the beds into the alleys : this done, proceed with 

 the line and spade to mark out the alleys the prescribed width ; then dig each alley 

 lengthwise, a moderate spade deep, and spread a good portion of the earth equally on each 

 side over the adjoining beds ; digging down the weeds as you advance, clean to the bot- 

 tom of the alleys, under a proper depth of earth. Form the edges of the beds full and 

 straight, and the alleys of an equal depth ; and thus let them remain till spring." 



3880. Judd, on the above practice, observes, " rather than treat them in this way, they would be better 

 without any thing." He fills up the alleys with litter or dung, to exclude the frost 



3881. Nicol recommends covering asparagus-beds with good dung, and not mere litter, as frequently is 

 done, in the idea that the roots would otherwise perish. Fresh dung mixed with sea-weed, he considers 

 the very best manure for asparagus. (Kal. 129.) ' 



3882. The French cover in autumn, with six inches of dung, and four of sand ; and in performing this 

 operation, as well as every other, great care is taken not to tread on the beds, so as to condense the earth. 

 In planting and cutting, a plank is always used to tread on ; and the turf-divisions of the beds which are 

 intended to prevent the condensation of the earth below, in consequence of walking among the beds, are 

 removed every three years. . 



3883. Neill mentions a very proper precaution before covering, which is, to stir the surface of the beds 

 with a fork, in order that the juices of the manure washed down by the rains, may be readily imbibed. 

 He adds, that some cover the manure with a thin layer of earth from the alleys, which is called 

 landing up. 



3884. Spring dressing. About the end of March or towards the middle of April, be- 

 fore the buds begin to advance below, proceed, with a short three-tined fork, to loosen the 

 surface of the beds ; introducing the fork slanting two or three inches under the mould, 

 turn up the top earth near the crown of the roots, with care not to wound them. Then 

 rake the surface lengthwise the bed, neatly level, drawing off the rough earth and hard 

 clods into the alleys ; also, trim the edges of the beds and surface of the alleys regularly 

 even. Thus to loosen the bed, enables the shoots to rise in free growth, admits the air v 

 rains, and sunshine, into the ground, and encourages the roots to produce buds of a hand- 

 some full size. (Abercrombie.) 



3885. Time of coming to a bearing state. In general, transplanted asparagus comes 

 up but slender the first year ; it is larger the second ; and the third year some shoots 

 may he fit for gathering ; in the fourth year the crop will be in good perfection. 

 {Abercrombie. ) 



3886. Judd begins to cut the third season, but not generally. By the French method before mentioned, 

 " in three years the largest plants will be fit to cut for use." 



3887. Blanching. No attempt at blanching the tops is made in this country, otherwise 

 than by having abundance of loose earth on the surface through which they spring ; but 

 Lasteyrie informs us (Col. de Machines, &c.) that joints of cane are placed separately 

 over each stalk in Spain : and Bauman of Vienna, in a communication to the Horticultural 



