474 THE PARKS AND GARDENS OP PARIS. [Chap. XXVII. 



and cover the whole bed with a layer of rotten manure ; this will keep the soil in 

 good heart and in an equable state as to moisture, therefor^ no more watering 

 will be required ; destroy weeds and insects, and tie the stems to their sticks in 

 order to prevent the wind shaking the roots. In autumn cut down the dry stems 

 to a few inches above the ground; again make up the ridges between the lines, 

 leaving the roots 1 in. or IJin. deep. 



" Third Yeab. — In February level the ground as in the preceding spring, and 

 remove what was left of the stems ; over each plant put a little hill of soil. A few 

 heads may this year be cut for use from each plant, but cutting must not be con- 

 tinued later than the 15th of June. Every year in autumn and in spring the 

 same operations must be gone through as in the preceding season. 



" Fourth Year. — The heads may now be cut for use, but be careful to dis- 

 continue cutting by June 25 ; after that allow all the stems which appear, to run 

 up. The roots having now attained full development, must be kept during spring 

 under a hill of soil 10 inches deep. The cutting-time being over, the bed may be 

 levelled if preferred; every autumn apply plenty of manure, and every spring 

 mulch between the hills with fresh manure to prevent the soil becoming hard. 

 Salt dissolved in water and applied in spring will be found advantageous. All 

 seeds should be picked off as early as can be done ; do not let them fall on the 

 ground in autumn, otherwise a quantity of useless young plants will appear 

 to the detriment of the bed. 



" The distances at which the plants stand apart may appear too great, but wide 

 planting is the great secret as regards getting fine Asparagus ; besides, the number 

 of heads produced is double, and their size three or four times larger, than they 

 would be in crowded masses, thus showing a large balance in favour of plenty of 

 room. The celebrated Argenteuil Asparagus, so largely imported to Covent 

 Garden, is grown in a way similar to this. It is a practice in some provinces in 

 France to plant Asparagus in vineyards between the lines of Vines. In this case 

 the roots stand at 3 ft., 6 ft., and even 9 ft. apart, and though the ground may 

 not receive any manure for twenty years, the produce is large and the quality 

 excellent. Planting among Vines is much practised in Burgundy. Immense 

 quantities of Asparagus have been planted in several parts of France and Germany 

 for market-purposes ; they are for the most part cultivated with the plough, and 

 supplied with chemical manure ; the result is generally good. In order to insure 

 success, take up the plants from their seed-bed with every possible care ; throw 

 away every one cut or broken, and use only such roots as have a healthy 

 appearance, and strong, well-developed buds ; do not expose them to the air ; on 

 the contrary, put them into a basket in wet Moss immediately they are taken up, 

 and keep them there until they are planted. " D. Guiheneuf." 



The forcing alone of Asparagus throughout the autumn, winter, 

 and early spring, is an industry of considerable extent. In one 

 of the most recently-organised and active of these gardens about 

 half an acre of glass is devoted solely to the forcing of Asparagus, 

 and a supply is obtained from early in September to the end of 



