510 ASPARAGUS CULTURE. 



which are then to be dug up. The stakes, having become 

 useless, are to be taken away. Lastly, the laying bare 

 of the roots is to be done by taking away the earth, as 

 already directed, the dressing of decomposed manure placed 

 over them, and lastly, the manure is in its turn covered 

 with a couple of inches of the finely pulverized soil. 



" Third Yeak. — In the middle of the month of March, 



during fine weather, small knolls, from six to eight inches 



.high, are to be made over each plant, taking nevertheless as 



a basis the comparative strength of the crowns, more or less 



large, or of a more or less determined development ; those 



which may be too feeble, or having served the preceding 



year to supply the bad ones, or those which had failed, are 



to be covered over with a hillock of only four inches high, 



and should then be left to themselves. From the other 



plants, -three, or at most four Asparagus heads may be 



gathered ; but they are not to be cut off with an Asparagus 



knife, but removed with the fingers. However, there is a 



particular sort of knife, square-shaped at the end, and having 



teeth on one side, forming a saw, which will be useful to 



take away the earth about the stalk, and will make it easy 



for the fingers to reach the subterranean stock, which care 



must be taken not to injure. With regard to the gathering, 



one finger must be got behind the Asparagus stem at its base, 



and by bending it, it will easily come off the stock. In 



this manner all injury to its neighbours, which may easily 



happen with an Asparagus knife, will be avoided ; and there 



will not be left any wounded ends, from which the sap will 



flow and spread around, occasioning rapid decay. Care 



should be taken to close up the hole made for the gathering 



of the Asparagus, and the knoll is at once to be formed 



anew. In the month of April, the stakes are to be again 



used, and the stems fastened to them in due time. After 



having, in fine weather, done all that is necessary in the 



way of cleaning, in the month of October the dry stalks are 



to be cut off about ten inches above the ground, and the 



dead rubbish thrown out of the Asparagus plantation. From 



the whole surface of the trenches, and to a depth of four 



inches, the earth is to be taken away and thrown upon the 



