596 Culture of Asparagus. 



temperature of 75°. During the time that the fruits are swelling 

 (that is, between flowering and just beginning to change colour 

 ibr ripening), about 80°, with plenty of vapour, is not too much 

 artificial heat; allowing it to be ten degrees higher during sun- 

 shine. It must be observed, in the ordinary routine culture of 

 the pine, that the soil in the pots must not be kept anywise 

 wet during the time that the plants are in a dormant state, and 

 by no means allowed to get dry whilst they are excited. The 

 bottom heat, too, should bear a due proportion to the active 

 growing, or dormant, state of the plants : about 75°, in the 

 lowest ebb of winter, at the bottoms of the pots, plunged half 

 their depth into the bed, with an atmospheric temperature of 

 55° to 60° : this I give as an example of dormant culture in the 

 depth of winter, or what is commonly termed " keeping, or 

 standing them over." 



As the season advances, let the hot-house be gradually in- 

 creased in temperature; and, as an example of culture, when the 

 plants are in active developement (say swelling off" their fruits, 

 in June or July), 1 10° or 120° of bottom heat, with the pots only 

 just let into the tan 1 in. or 2 in. and a humid atmosphere, from 

 90° to 100° in sunshine; which may be accomplished by giving 

 very little air, and using cheese-cloth shading. Such culture 

 as this sets the ravages of worms, and saturation with moisture 

 (two of the greatest evils that pines are subject to,) at defiance, 

 and brings fruits to the highest degree of perfection, notwith- 

 standing the writings of Sweet, and other authors, to the con- 

 trary. I speak from the opinions of experienced, aged growers, 

 and from my own observation. The sorts I should cultivate 

 are, the Providence, Trinidad, Enville, Jamaica, Montserrat, 

 common broad-leaved queen, lemon queen, globe, and brown 

 sugarloaf. 



Islcworth, September, 1836. 



Art. XII. On the Culture of Asparagus ; with a Note on the Globe 

 Artichoke. By Mr. James Cuthill, Gardener to Capt. Trotter, 

 Dyrham Park. 



The following plan I have tried with six beds of asparagus 

 this year ; and, from the extraordinarily fine growth, and the 

 numerous heads produced, I am confident it will answer. I am 

 a great advocate for plenty of manure; but, to those gardeners 

 who are bound to be very sparing in this respect, I consider that 

 my plan is a very great improvement, and forms a channel for 

 the roots and the crowns to run in with the greatest ease. I 

 believe it has been proved that asparagus likes as much moisture 

 as can well be given it ; and, of course, the more dung, the more 



