64 PLANT CULTURE 



Culture. A. plumosus is planted in beds when sprays and 

 strings are desired. If grown for trails they must be trained on 

 strings. Their general culture is easy. A. 5^re»gerj does best where 

 its branches are allowed to hang down instead of being planted in 

 a bed like the better known A. plumosus nanus. The ideal method 

 is to have the plants in large wire baskets suspended from the roof 

 of a house; and where the plants underneath don't suffer from drip 

 or shade this system will work all right. Where a large supply of 

 this green is wanted the north wall of a house may be used economi- 

 cally by erecting trough-like receptacles running the entire length 

 of the house. The top one may be as near the glass as possible, the 

 next in front 6 or 8 inches lower down, and so on, giving enough 

 room to prevent crowding of the branches. 



A. asparagoides is grown in beds and trained on silkaline for 

 long strings. 



Propagation. Dividing starved plants is the readiest method 

 of increasing A. plumosus nanus. Wash out the roots and place 

 the divisions in moderately wet sand, to make a few roots before 

 potting. Seed of A. pliimosw: nanus, or that which is offered under 

 the name of ^. ^. nanus, is not always to be depended upon, unless 

 the seed is procured from a reliable source or home grown, and known 

 to be true to name. The reason for this is that A. phimosiis is the 

 kind which fruits most freely, and some not knowing the difference 

 between the two sorts and others knowing, but also appreciating 

 the fact that A. p. nanus is the better of the two, and that seed 

 going under the name of the latter is sure to command the best 

 prices. Germination is very irregiilar with seed sown in some soils. 

 The best medium is rough grained sand that does not pack. Cover 

 to the depth of half an inch. 



A. phimosus tenuissimus is of a lighter green than A. plumosus 

 and A. p. nanus. If cuttings of the ripe branches are put in bottom 

 heat they will root freely. In small pots the plants are very orna- 

 mental and useful for associating with ferns and other plants in fill- 

 ing pans. This Asparagus used to be trained on strings, but has 

 been superseded for this purpose by A. p. nanus. 



In increasing A . Sprengeri, old plants may be divided for plant- 

 ing out, and for small specimens in pots, which are useful in asso- 

 ciating with Ferns. Seedlings are easily raised. The plants ripen 

 seed in mid-Winter. If cleaned and sown as soon as ripe the seeds 

 germinate quickly. 



