Asparagus 31 



of vigor by seed-bearing; when practicable it is well to 

 remove the berries. Eventually the seedling will probably 

 be carried to blossoming period before placing in the plan- 

 tation ; further experience on this point is necessary. The 

 sexes are distinguished in Figs. 5 and 6. 



Varieties. 



Eecognized varieties of asparagus are few, and as the 

 plant is propagated only by seeds (which may not come 

 true to name) the characteristics of the different named 

 kinds ar^ not likely to be clearly marked. The Colossal 

 (Conover's Colossal, Argenteuil of the French) is a 

 standard variety. Palmetto is much grown. Bonvalette 

 Giant (an improved form of Palmetto), Columbian Mam- 

 moth, Barr Mammoth, Dreer Eclipse, Giant Eeading, 

 Moore Giant, are other good contemporaneous kinds. 

 Improved strains bred by the United States Department 

 of Agriculture are now attracting much attention, known 

 as Washington and Martha Washington. 



The Asparagus Plant 



Asparagus: a genus of the Liliacese or Lily Family, of 

 about 150 species, native in Europe, Asia and Africa, herba- 

 ceous or woody, erect or climbing. Aside from the common 

 edible asparagus, the genus contains the " smilax " of florists 

 (not properly a smilax, however) and the so-called " asparagus 

 ferns " of greenhouses. The species are devoid of ordinary 

 green leaves, these organs being represented by small scales 

 or spines and the green stems functioning as foliage. ' Even the 

 broad leaf-like organs in the florists' smilax are branches, 

 arising from the axils of leaf-scales. 



A. officinalis, Linn. var. altilis, Linn. Sp. PI. 313. Garden 

 AspAEAGUS. Perennial much-branching dioecious herb with 

 terete clear green glabrous slightly glaucous stems 4 to 10 ft. 



