44? THE CULINARY GARDEN. [MAR. 



inches above the root. Give a hearty watering, if 

 the weather be dry. A little spinage, or turnip, 

 may be drilled in between the lines, which will come 

 off before the plants spread far, or interfere with 

 diem. 



Of spring-dressing Artichokes. 

 Let the littery part of the covering (see Novem- 

 ber) be removed from the rows of old artichokes, 

 and dig in the smaller part of it among them ; pre- 

 viously reducing the number of plants on each stool 

 to three or four of the strongest, as otherwise they 

 would grow too thick, and the heads would conse- 

 quently be rendered diminutive. Old stools should 

 not stand above six or seven years, as they then be- 

 gin to produce trifling heads. The best way is to 

 plant a few every year, and take up a few every 

 year ; by which mode also a succession may be had 

 each season, the new planted ones coming in, in au- 

 tumn, after the others are done. 



Of sowing Asparagus. 



Asparagus delights in a rich deep sand. It may 

 be produced in great perfection, however, in light 

 loamy earth, well enriched with dungs, or with com- 

 post. In any soil, sea-weed suits this vegetable 

 well ; and it has been produced in very great per- 

 fection in a sheer sand, without any other manure 

 whatever. It does not thrive well in stiff, wet soils ; 

 nor in any that are less than half a yard in depth. 

 Of course, the land should be well trenched, to the 

 depth of thirty inches, if it will admit of trenching 



