430 Bicton Gardens, their Culture and Management. 



ground at every opportunity with, a strong fork or pick-axe 

 on every frosty morning, routing and turning it about when 

 frozen, will not only sweeten and mellow it, but will kill all 

 slugs and other insects. Never put in your asparagus plants 

 until April; when the young plants are grown or shot 2 or 

 3 inches they always do best: if planted before they begin 

 to grow, and the weather should turn out cold and harsh, 

 oftentimes there will be many plants that will lie dormant and 

 not break at all, which causes so many blanks in the beds. If 

 you intend sowing the seeds, do so a month earlier in drills 

 2 ft. apart; which should also be the distance at which to plant 

 them ; thinning out the plants sown from 12 in. to 18 in. apart 

 in the drills ; never putting more than two rows of plants in 

 each bed of 4 ft. ; and leaving from 2\ ft. to 3 ft. alley, which is 

 essential, and is a good shaded situation in hot dry summer 

 weather to grow the late cauliflower and Cape broccoli. The 

 system of covering the beds with earth to such a depth as is 

 done by the London market-gardeners early in the spring I do 

 not approve of, always considering it completely in opposition 

 to nature. They say they cannot get a sale for it amongst the 

 London people if it is not a considerable length : but of what 

 use is it ? The London people cannot eat those long, tough, hard 

 stalks ; for after all only the very top can be eaten. I always 

 find that noblemen and gentlemen's families are most fond of 

 asparagus in its natural beautiful green colour, and just long 

 enough for the cook to tie into a bunch ; then you do not rob 

 and smother the plants, but have asparagus fit to eat, tender, 

 and high-flavoured. It is one of the most wholesome and deli- 

 cious vegetables grown, but wonderfully abused. 



Sea-kale should have the ground prepared in a similar manner 

 to asparagus, with salt and sea-weed, which it is very fond of; 

 planting one-year-old small plants that have been saved on 

 poor ground, the rows 2 ft. apart, and 2 ft. from plant to 

 plant in the rows, not two or three together as is generally done ; 

 for, if the preparation is good, one plant is always sufficient. It 

 is as beautiful and delicious a vegetable as any that is grown, for 

 winter purposes, if grown and blanched as it ought to be ; but 

 it requires time and attention to bring it properly to perfection. 

 If it is hurried with too much heat, it is spindly, weak, and 

 without flavour ; if too slow, it is as bitter and worthless. In 

 my opinion, it is in its full perfection when from 4 in. to 6 in. 

 long. When cutting it, take care always to cut the crown just 

 under the earth : this should be particularly attended to. If the 

 crown of the plant is left above the ground to be exposed to the 

 frost after it has been forced, it causes the canker so generally 

 complained of amongst sea-kale ; but take care always to leave 

 a little litter or leaves amongst it, so that the frost may not 



