British Works. 27 & 



roots of all monocotyledonous plants are, like their stems and leaves, simple 

 in their constitution. From the hyacinth up to the palm, they seldom or 

 never separate into branches; and hence no one ever thinks of shortening 

 the roots of a pine-apple or a hyacinth, in order to increase the number of 

 their spongioles. When the roots of these plants, and even those of the 

 asparagus (which, as they branch a little, may be considered as forming an 

 exception), are shortened, they invariably die back to the collar or plate, and 

 no "good is done till new roots are sent out from the plate. Hence the 

 practice of disrooting pine-apple plants, that is, cutting off all the roots close 

 to the stump, is theoretically proper ; because, if they were only shortened, 

 the parts which remained would be of no use. The circumstance of the roots 

 of monocotyledonous plants in general not branching, but merely elongating, 

 shows the necessity, or at least the advantage, of having a great perpendicular 

 depth of soil for them to grow in ; and hence the hyacinth and the common 

 onion, when the bulbs are to be produced of a large size, require a rich soil, 

 3 or 4 feet in depth; and, as the growth is rapid, this soil must be abundantly 

 supplied with water. When the pine-apple is grown in pots, the roots com- 

 pensate themselves, so to speak, for the want of a deep soil in which they 

 can run perpendicularly down, by running round and round the insides of the 

 pots ; and hence the advantage of beginning with small pots, and repeatedly 

 shifting into larger ones, till the whole mass or ball contained in the pot 

 consists of a series of circumvolutions of roots alternating with thin strata 

 of soil ; the roots only drawing their nourishment from their extreme points. 

 The same observations will apply to the hyacinth grown in pots. But to 

 render what we have said of much practical value, would require more time 

 and space than we can at present devote to the subject. What we have 

 said is with a view to induce the reading gardener to think on the subject, 

 in order that he may deduce all his modifications of culture from scientific 

 principles, as well as from experimental essays, and from precedent ; or, as 

 it is called by philosophers, empirical practice. 



Treatise on an improved and cheap Method of cultivating Asparagus. By Ninian 

 Niven, Landscape-Gardener, late Curator of the Royal Dublin Society's 

 Botanic Garden, Glasnevin, Author of the " Botanic Garden Companion." 

 Pamph. 12mo, pp. 31. Dublin, 1839. 



About nine years ago, Mr. Niven began to pay attention to the culture of 

 asparagus, from being situated in a place where, previously to his management, 

 the crop had always failed. He adopted as a principle the enriching of the 

 surface soil and the encouragement of the surface-feeding roots, in opposition 

 to the usual practice of deep trenching and deep manuring. We can easily 

 conceive that the result of this would be earlier and better-flavoured heads; 

 but Mr. Niven also found that the produce of cultivation on the surface-feeding 

 principle was even more bulky than that of watery or deep preparation feeding. 

 Mr. Niven plants in rows 4 ft. apart, with the plants 6 in. from each other in 

 the row. The surface of the soil to be planted with asparagus is enriched 

 with half-rotted leaves and rotten hot-bed dung, to the depth of 3 in., to which 

 is added, where it can be obtained, a stratum of sea-weed. Before planting, 

 the ground is laid up in ridges 4 ft. apart, and the roots of the plants are 

 " set down on the little ridge or saddle prepared for them, as a man sits upon 

 horseback;" a person following with a barrow full of sand, which, with the 

 spade, he " lays over the roots and crowns, about an inch thick, observing to 

 tread successively both sides of each line as he proceeds, with one foot, to firm 

 the sand to the plants, so as to secure them from the action of the air, until 

 the process of planting is concluded, when a second and final covering of about 

 4 in. of rich compost of dung and rotten leaves is to be put over the ridges or 

 lines, which is to be firmly trodden to the line of plants, as before. A small por- 

 tion of the original surface between the rows may then be thrown up with the 

 spade, right and left, dressing neatly between every two lines as you proceed, 

 and the process of planting, which is exceedingly simple, is finished." (p. 22.) 



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