52 GARDENING FoR ALL. 
ASPARAGUS.—(A sparagus officinalis). 
Although the cultivated edible species of asparagus is a 
native of Great Britain, yet the French have run us very 
closely for the championship in its culture. If the honour 
rested upon mere size. they would win easily; but for size 
and quality combined it would be difficult to find any to 
surpass the best that is produced around Evesham, where 
there are many hundreds of acres devoted to its culture, and 
where it forms the chief source of revenue for the support 
of scores of families. 
Iam told that over five hundred acres were sown and 
planted with asparagus around Evesham, in 1894 alone ; and 
within a radius of six miles of that town, there are most 
probably, several thousands of acres planted with asparagus. 
Asparagus has norivals, in its season, amongst vegetables. 
Many are deterred from growing it because they labour under 
the popular (and erroneous) idea that it is costly and difficult 
to grow. That its cultivation can be made costly is beyond 
dispute. Two gentlemen, who attended my lectures in the 
autumn of 1894, informed me that they had spent five and six 
pounds respectisely, in making one or two asparagus beds, 
and after waiting two or three years, had not been able to 
cut as many shillingsworth of asparagus. These are not 
isolated cases, but are fairly representative of the experience 
of scores of others who attempt its culture and who follow 
the traditional methods. 
It is not necessary to excavate a trench four feet deep and 
six feet wide, and to bury therein so many scores of faggots 
and cartloads of manure! Ground that is rich enough to 
grow a good crop of potatoes, of cauliflowers, or of onions, 
will grow also good crops of asparagus if given common-sense 
treatment in subsequent years. 
We have only to sow seed, or plant one or two-year-old 
plants, in rows three feet apart over any area of ground, on 
ordinary soil, and without any further preparation than would 
be given lor cabbage, and we may obtain as good asparagus 
as may be desired. 
Some of the best English asparagus I have ever seen 
was grown in single rows eighteen feet asunder; the ground 
between being occupied with the usual vegetable crops in 
due order of rotation year after year. 
