VEGETABLES DESCRIPTION AND CULTURE. 267 



three-fifths of the inorganic elements of the plant are 

 made up of these constituents. This explains why salt 

 and seaweed are found useful, and shows that the appli- 

 cation of bone manure, or superphosphate of lime, in con- 

 nection with animal manures, may be beneficial. 



Culture. — Asparagus is propagated only by seed, one 

 ounce of which will produce a thousand plants. Sow 

 quite early iu spring on a bed of fresh and deep sandy 

 loam, the richer the better — as free as possible from all 

 shade of trees or shrubs. Draw the drills one foot apart, 

 and with a dibble make holes six iuches distant, iu which 

 drop two or three seeds. Let the seed be covered an iuch 

 deep, and press the earth upon it. If uuable to sow early 

 shade must be given to the bed, for which purpose pine 

 boughs are well suited. These should be removed at 

 night and on cloudy days, and entirely as soon as the 

 plants are up. 



Care must be taken to keep the seed-bed light and free 

 from weeds, though this operation must be delayed until 

 the plants come up. If two plants appear in the same 

 place, the weaker must be removed. Transplanted, these 

 will make pretty good plants by fall. When the stems 

 are withered, cut them down and spread well-rotted 

 stable dung over the bed two inches deep, which will 

 increase the vigor of the plants the next year, and also 

 protect them from frost. 



Let the plants remain in the seed-bed until they are 

 about to grow early in spring. To have this delicacy as 

 early as possible, choose a site where the bed can be fully 

 exposed to the sun. If you wish to prolong its season, 

 another bed may be planted on a northern exposure. The 

 subsoil should be dry, and if not naturally so, must be 

 well drained. 



The plants will be in better condition for transplanting 

 after remaining in the seed-bed two years. The perma- 



