THE KITCHEN GARDEN. 



33 



inoapatle of maturing, and placing suoli a store of 

 strength to the root's account below ground, as 

 ^lone can enable them to produce freely and well 

 in the following spring. During both the first and 

 second years following the planting, the young 

 shoots must be permitted to grow freely ; none must 

 be cut. To do so destroys the future quality and 

 prolificacy. English growers err generally in com- 

 mencing, and continue to cut till too late in the 

 ■season, young immatured plantations. Such a tax 

 is never thoroughly overcome. 



Forced asparagus is very easily obtained, where 

 three or four-year-old plants exist along with- suffi- 

 cient fermenting materials to form a bed with, and 

 frames with sashes to place over them. Aspara- 

 .gus plants are not fit for forcing under three years' 

 growth, though they cannot be too old for the pro- 

 cess. A bed should be made up whereon to force, 

 :similar to such as are prepared for cucumber grow- 

 ing, in connection with which it is known such a 

 height and thickness is necessary as will retain heat 

 within it — aided in severe weather by periodically 

 placed linings — for some time. 



When the heat at the centre of this bed does not 

 ■exceed 100° Fahrenheit, a layer of decomposed 

 manure or soil is first laid upon it, it is trodden 

 somewhat firmly down, and the plants, taken up 

 with soil adhering between the roots, are packed 

 thereon as closely as possible together ; one lot of 

 roots overlying another in such a manner that as 

 many as practicable are pressed in ; all having the 

 ■crowns, with young buds, as nearly as possible level. 

 As giving some idea what any given size frame will 

 hold, it may be said that 400 three-year-old plants 

 ■can be placed in a two-light. 



When as many as possible have been neatly 

 packed within the frame, place just sufficient rich, 

 light SOU over all to cover the crowns, insert a test- 

 atick to study the heat by, leaving the lights ofi 

 until it is known that the heat does not fiuctuate 

 unduly, and a mean temperature of about 90° exists. 

 Immediately a slight downward tendency is observed 

 in this internal heat of the bed, add about three 

 inches more soU, consisting greatly of leaf-mould 

 and sand, giving a good watering with tepid water 

 — sufficient, in fact, to moisten the roots below 

 thoroughly ; place the lights upon the frames, 

 ■and shut them down close. With heat maintained 

 within the bed as near to 85° as possible, give no air 

 until the young blades push through the soil freely. 

 A little fresh air admitted by tilting with a wedge at 

 the back just for half an hour daily to improve the 

 flavour will be ample. Should the internal heat of 

 the bed fall, resuscitate it by adding a lining first to 

 one half, and again, in about eight days' time, to the 

 •other half ; and as the cropping continues give other 



waterings as needful, a little manure-water being 

 very advantageous ultimately, and when the old 

 roots have formed their minor feeding rootlets. 



Forcing in mid-winter is far more laborious than 

 during the early spring, or February, every care 

 being necessary to deter cold air from blowing from 

 without between the frame and the bed. During 

 very severe weather the sides of the frame without 

 must be well covered up, too, with thick linings and 

 with hay or straw, as well as mat coverings placed 

 over the glass. Very slight warmth arises through 

 these thicknesses of roots and soil, so that severe 

 frosts readily gain ingress if not well guarded and 

 provided against. Forcing asparagus within glass- 

 houses, having needful beds and heating media, has 

 to be performed on precisely similar bases. In this 

 latter instance very m.uch more water should be 

 applied to the' roots ; surface syringings or spiink- 

 lings being also frequently necessary to counteract 

 the drying tendency of the pipes within. 



Whenever forcing is undertaken, it should be done 

 rapidly and Well; to revert to a cool or slowei 

 process after part of the crop is secured, lessens the 

 ultimate yield and gives tough and inferior produce. 



The following are the varieties in cultivation : — 

 ■Argenteuil Earlj' Purple, Argenteuil Late Purple, 

 Conuover's Colossal, and Giant Battersea. 



Beans, " Broad " { Vicia Faba). French, Fhve de 

 Marais; German, Sohn ; ItsMan, Fava. The Garden 

 Bean, known commonly as Broad Bean, is an annual 

 plant, and one of the very oldest associated with our 

 gardens, introduced probably by the Romans, and a 

 native originally of Egypt. 



It is divided into three varieties or forms, viz. — 

 the dwarf and small, or Mazagan; the Long-pod, 

 containing somewhat elongated seeds ; and the true 

 short or blunt-podded variety, containing but two or 

 three seeds, very large in size, and very broad. 



The culture of the plant is of the simplest. It 

 prefers a deep, stiff soil, only moderately manured, 

 and such as has been dug up two or three months 

 before seed-sowing. The three varieties named, 

 especially in their improved modern forms, are all 

 valuable from the fact that they aid cultivators in 

 securing early, mid-season, and late produce, which 

 without them would not be equally easy of attain- 

 ment. The dwarf Mazagan is the hardiest, succeeded 

 by the Long-pod, and finally by the old " Broad " 

 variety ; these characteristics being so marked as 

 to secure such succession even when, in the early 

 spring months, all are sown at the same date. 



The seed-sowing rarely receives such an amount 

 of consideration as it deserves. It is an error to 

 make holes, toss the seed carelessly therein, and 

 cover them over indifferently. A blunt dibble should 



