1 64 ASPARAGUS 



ASPARAGUS IN FRANCE 



Asparagus is grown much more abundantl}- and to 

 a much larger size in France than in England. The 

 country- is half covered with it in some places near 

 Paris ; farmers grow it abundantly, cottagers grow it, 

 and ever^'body eats it. Near Paris it is chiefly grown 

 for market in the valley of Montmorencj' and at Argen- 

 teuil, and it is cultivated extensively for market in 

 many other places. About Argenteuil several thou- 

 sand persons are employed in the culture of asparagus. 



It is grown to a large extent among the grape-vines 

 as well as alone. The vine under field culture is cut 

 down to near the old stool every j'ear, and allowed to 

 make a few growths w^hich are tied erect to a stake. 

 One plant is put in each open spot, and given every 

 chance of forming a large specimen, and this it gener- 

 ally does. The growing of asparagus among the vines 

 is a verj- usual mode, and a vast space is thus covered 

 with it about here. 



It is also grown in other and special wa5-s. Per- 

 haps the simplest and most worthy of adoption is to 

 grow it in shallow^ trenches. These are usuallj' about 

 four feet apart. The soil generally is a rather stiff 

 sandy loam with calcareous matter in some parts, but 

 the soil has not all to do with the peculiar excellence 

 of the vegetable. It is the careful attention to the 

 wants of the plant which produce such good results. 

 Here, for instance, is a young plantation planted in 

 March, and from the little ridges of soil between the 

 trenches have just been dug a crop of small early 

 potatoes. In England the asparagus would be left to 



