November 1, 1361. ] 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



351 



niatation. In the latter place I was caught in the shower 

 when strolling off the public thoroughfares. 



But I shall tire your readers by this discursive chat. I 

 sat down with the intention of addressing you upon one 

 subject, and I have not yet touched upon it. I mean 



TEE CULTURE OF ASPABAGUS. 



It appears to me that we have yet much to learn of the 

 cultivation of this much-esteemed vegetable. The noted 

 grower in France, is Monsieur L'Heraut, of Argenteuil, the 

 neighbourhood where I was visiting. He is. no doubt, known 

 to many of our horticulturists, as he has been studying 

 the growth of this vegetable for the last twenty years, and 

 has carried off eighteen medals, three being enamel, one 

 bronze, twelve silver, and two gold. One of these last was 

 from the Brussels Show of this year, where, by the way, it 

 was stated that with the exception of the Pere L'Heraut, 

 the French made themselves conspicuous by their absence. 



Le Pere L'Heraut for many years possessed but one hectare 

 of land (a little less than 2i acres), upon this he confined 

 himself to the cultivation of Asparagus ; but from it he 

 derived an income of 4000f. — say, ,£160 per annum. He sells 

 his produce to the first-class restaurants and purveyors of 

 Paris at inconceivably high prices. He produces bundles 

 containing thirty-five heads, measuring 14 inches long, and 

 weighing 6 kilogrammes, or roughly 12 lbs., for which he 

 receives from 25f. to 30f., and that during the entire season. 

 The smaller heads sell at from 5f. to lOf. He has latterly been 

 joined by his son, the firm being now L'Heraut, Salbceuf 

 et fils, and they have added considerably to the extent of 

 their land. On one piece I saw 2000 plants, on another 1700. 



Argenteuil being only a few miles from the residence of 

 my host, I drove over and saw both father and son. "We 

 happened to hit on the very first day of the vintage, every 

 hand was in the fields, but we found Madame L'Heraut, the 

 son's wife, and she with genuine French amiability insisted 

 on conducting us to her husband. Leaving our carriage, 

 therefore, with the groom we trudged through the vineyards, 

 and a most animating sight it was. It was just the moment 

 of the midday repast of bread and Grapes, and the various 

 groups looked like so many pic-nie parties, everybody was 

 very merry, for the groups were not composed merely of the 

 labourers but of their friends also. All are welcome at such 

 a time to eat their fill. A quarter of an hour's walk brought 

 us to the vineyards of Pere & fils L'Heraut. The first I 

 found a plain unpretending gardener of the old school, with 

 an idea about going a-head nevertheless ; the son a fine 

 specimen, physically, of a Frenchman. He had been a soldier, 

 of course, had a good intelligent face, and we soon found him 

 tobe thoroughly up to his business. The father being occupied 

 with looking after his people, the son ciceroned us, after dis- 

 patching to the wine press two carts laden with open barrels 

 filled with Grapes of the morning's gathering. From him 

 and from a pamphlet which he gave me, published by him- 

 self, and entitled " Culture des Asperges en Plein Air," and 

 sold at 50 centimes, say od., I learnt the following : — 



The Asparagus flourishes best on an old vineyard, as 

 the copious nourishment given to the Vine suits it. The 

 older a soil and the more worked it may have been, always 

 provided that it has been constantly well kept up, the better. 



The seed has much to do with success. At the com- 

 mencement of their career they grew the Hardy Dutch, a 

 very productive variety but not bigger than the middle 

 finger, and having the disadvantage of producing its crop 

 all at once. For many years past they have saved their 

 own seed from some they originally had under the name of 

 Rose de Eollande Perfectione'e. This variety is in quality and 

 size much superior to that grown in the locality. It pro- 

 duces during a longer period, and gives first-rate and in- 

 creasing crops up to the age of six or seven years, and will 

 then continue good for another twenty years. For the 

 raising of this seed and its cultivation I must refer your 

 readers to the pamphlet in question. I must confine myself 

 to the plant itself. 



In the selection of the ground never take the site of an 

 old Asparagus-bed. A soil slightly clayey suits the Rose 

 de Eollande best; but this variety up to its sixth year is 

 not an abundant producer, although it amply makes amends 

 by its exceptional size and quality, by the longer duration 

 of its season, and by the greater longevity of the plants. 



A sandy and dry soil suits only the smaller varieties of 

 Asparagus. 



In making a plantation no beds are raised above the sur- 

 face. Holes are dug on the level ground in the autumn 

 20 inches in diameter, and 6 inches deep, 1 yard apart, and 

 4 feet distance in the rows. The earth taken out is placed 

 between the rows in the form of hillocks, which maybe used 

 for early Potatoes, Lettuces, or Dwarf Beans — anything in 

 short that comes off early. Into each hole is thrown 3 inches 

 deep of half-rotten stable manure mixed with cowdung and 

 town rubbish, or in default of this last, road scrapings and 

 rotted vegetable refuse — the older the better. It is covered 

 to the depth of li inch with some of the earth taken from 

 the holes. 



In the month of March, towards the end in this country, the 

 one-year-old plants are put in by opening a hole with the 

 hand between the manure, one plant to each hole, taking 

 care to spread out the roots carefully and equally; cover 

 with 11 inch of the soil, pressing the extremities of the roots 

 strongly down, place a stick to each to ma.rk the spot that 

 no injury may arise when digging the ground. 



During the summer months keep the ground as free from 

 weeds as a lady's flower garden. In the autumn when the 

 stems are nearly dry, cut them down to the height of 6 inches. 

 Should any have failed let the stick remain to indicate the 

 spot, and replace in the following March. In the month of 

 November the roots should be subjected to the action of 

 the atmosphere by removing a little of the earth from the 

 surface ; and in this state the plant passes the winter, for it 

 must be borne in mind, that Asparagus does not suffer from 

 cold, but moisture, and the more earth there may be over 

 the crown the greater will be the amount of such moisture. 



The cultivation for the second year is the same, except 

 that a little more soil may be thrown over the crown at the 

 beginning of April, and a stake 4 feet long should be placed 

 between every alternate plant, so that the two plants may 

 be attached thereto, in the autumn, to prevent their being 

 blown about or broken off by the wind, which is very in- 

 jurious. The wind causes the stems to make holes at the 

 base, into which the rain enters and rots the crown. 



In the third season of their growth, about the middle of 

 March, if warm, the ends of the stalks should be removed, 

 and each plant should be earthed-up to the depth of S inches 

 for the stronger, but less for the weaker. These mounds 

 should be raised exactly over the centre of each crown. The 

 largest heads may be taken during fifteen days only, and 

 when about 2 inches high, as a rule we should be satisfied 

 with taking from three-year-old plants two heads from each. 

 Tou will observe that I "do not use the word " cutting," but 

 "taking" off. I must be permitted to tell a little story 

 thereon. At a Meeting of the French Horticultural Society 

 in Paris, various knives for cutting Asparagus were sent in 

 by makers. The President, the Conite de Moray, said — 

 " "Well, gentlemen, I think we must leave it to the most ex- 

 perienced man in France on this subject, Monsieur Pere, 

 L'Heraut, to decide on the merits of these;" but to the 

 amazement of all present he stated that he knew no more 

 about it than they did, for he never cut a head in his life, 

 and should consider it murder to do so. Being called on to 

 explain, he did so to the following effect : — 



" The earth is removed until the two fingers arrive at 

 the head of the crown, the stalk is then thrust off (much as 

 we take off Rhubarb-stalks I presume). If, however, it will 

 not come off without injury to the crown, a blunt knife is 

 placed against it close to its junction with the latter, and it 

 is snapped off by pressure. The crown is then earthed-up 

 again. In the autumn all the earth is removed down to the 

 crowns and replaced by the compost already alluded to, a 

 little of the old, light, pulverised soil is thrown on again, and 

 the ground between the rows is then well dug-down to the 

 roots, taking care, however, not to injure them. In the 

 March of the fourth year the earthing-up may be increased 

 in height to 10 inches. More heads may now be taken from 

 the plants and during a longer period. In the spring of the 

 fifth year the soil may be earthed-up in one continuous line, 

 and fresh compost put in the alleys in its place. This com- 

 post serves to walk upon, and is getting into condition for 

 use in the following year. In the autumn the ground is 

 again levelled, and this is continued from year to year. 

 During the fifth year the gathering may continue for a 



