KITCHEN-GARDEN-PLANTS. CUAP. 



good earth upon it four inches deep or thereabouts. Then 

 take up the plants, or, rather, the crowns from their bed, 

 and place them upon the earth in the hot-bed as near 

 together as they can conveniently stand. Take care that 

 the crowns are all of the same height in the hot-bed, and 

 bring them from the garden beds with their balls of earth 

 to them, and their roots as little torn as possible. When 

 you have the crowns all neatly and evenly arranged upon 

 the beds, fill all the interstices between them with fine 

 earth, give the whole a gentle watering, and then cover 

 the crowns over with fine earth six inches deep. If the 

 bed be a pretty strong one, and, if you give air judi- 

 ciously, and keep frosts effectually out, you may cut 

 asparagus in twenty days from the time that you put the 

 crowns into the bed ; but, you must be watchful to give 

 as much air as the season will permit, otherwise the as- 

 paragus will be spindling, will be of a pale colour, and 

 will have very little taste. It may so happen, that, when 

 you are ready to put your asparagus into the bed, the 

 crowns will be locked up from you by frost. To be pre- 

 pared for this, put, in due time, more litter, or straw, 

 upon your stock of crowns than the frosts can penetrate 

 through. If you wish to have but one hot-bed of aspa- 

 ragus every year, your annual provision of crowns will, 

 of course, be accordingly. These crowns will give you, 

 in the hot-bed, asparagus for a month or six weeks ; and 

 that, too, if you please, in January or February. When 

 they have borne their crop, they are of no more use, and 

 will, of course, be flung away ; but, they are worth the 

 trouble, and I know of nothing that is more sure to 

 be attended with success. If the weather should prove 

 very severe while the crowns are in the bed, not only 



