84 



ASPAEAGTTS CULTTIEB. 



iif 



in m{iniiinii)| 



Specimen of Asjpara^us 

 frown at Ounton Fork. 



(Kp of shoot.) 



teresting one. We -would reoommend 

 his trying the early and late varieties, 

 so mucli in favour with the Argenteuil 

 growers, and testing their relative value 

 in England. As regards the blanching, 

 it may be noted that it is only a ques- 

 tion of degree between the French and 

 English growers. All good Asparagus 

 that we have seen in either the Paris or 

 London markets is blanched, the best 

 English market-growers' produce being 

 simply blanched 1 in. shorter than that 

 of the French. We believe that there is 

 good reason for this blanching, and that 

 it is not, as many suppose, a mere mat- 

 ter of fashion. It may be remarked that 

 in all well-grown Asparagus, as soon as 

 a shoot gets into tbe free air, the scales 

 begin to unfold and the head to open 

 out, which, of course, must be avoided, 

 even if flavour be not considered. Speci- 

 mens such as those from Gunton Park, 

 with a small portion of the top green, 

 and with 4 in. or 5 in. below that white 

 and perfectly tender, are the most deli- 

 cate in flavour of all. No distinction 

 can be di-awn between these and speci- 

 mens from the best French growers, in 

 which the head is not allowed to show 

 more than 1 ia. above ground before 

 gathering, and which have also from 4 in. 

 to 6 in. of tender blanched shoot below 

 the pinkish or green apex. It may be 

 noted here that Dutch Asparagus ia 

 often blanched to a much greater degree 

 than the French. — Ed.] 



