ASP 



v»ered with mats, or Jry long litter, but muil bo uncovered 

 everv day, except in uncommonly fcvcre weather; for it is 

 of importance, when the afparagus Ihoots begin to advance, 

 to admit as much hghc and fun as pofliblc, to promote a 

 <rreen colour in the tops of the bud» ; and as to the admif- 

 lion of fre(h air, if the htat is moderate, the glalTcs need 

 only be fhovcd a little open in tine days, efpccially if you 

 require the plants to be drawn up quick ; but by admitting 

 a l^irge portion of air, the buds rile (lower, and will acquire 

 a larger lizc and greener colour ; on which conlideration you 

 may fometimes, m the fpring-made beds, take the glalLs 

 entirely off a few hours in tine mild dry day*, particularly 

 when the heat of the bed is confiderable at the firll appear- 

 ance of the buds after the bed is framed. 



This is alio the proper period to examine the temperature 

 of heat in the beds. When they have been made about three 

 weeks, if but fmall beds, the heat will probably begin to de- 

 cline confiderably, which fliould be renewed by a lining of 

 hot dung applied to the fides; this is not to be omitted, par- 

 ticularly when the buds begiu to appear throup;ii the lall 

 covering of earth, if there feem occaiion for it ; tiiough beds 

 of more confiderable length feldom require lining till after 

 the firil breaking, or gathering of the buds, then adding 

 good linings, they will maintiin the beds in the due tempera- 

 ture from fifteen to eighteen days longer, which is generally as 

 long as the roots continue yielding any tolerable produce. 

 Mr. Nicol has however remarked, that he has feldom foimd 

 it ncceffar)' to line afparagus beds ; yet that fometimes in a 

 ftonn it may be requifite. This, when neccffary, lliould 

 therefore be done with caution ; and never more than one 

 ilde of the beds at a time. Let the dung for this purpole, 

 fays he, be prepared in the fame manner as for a bed at liril ; 

 tlicn cut, with a (liarp fpade or dung knife, the part you 

 intend to line, perpendicularly by the fide of the frame ; 

 rejtft the tan and turf, and ufe the reft along with the new 

 dung, unlefs very much wafted ; from twenty-four to thirty 

 inches will be a fufficient breadth for the lining ; railing it 

 to about fix inches above the bottom of the frame, and ob- 

 fvjrving to tread it well towards the old dung, giving it a 

 confiderable Hope on the outfide, which naturally makes it 

 lean that way. If the lining fliould ralfe too great a heat 

 in the bed, or caufe a fteam, draw it off as diredted above ; 

 and when it has done fubfiding, let it be turfed in the fame 

 way as the bed was. In refpedl to water, he fays, he has 

 frequently produced a v>hole crop of afparagus without 

 either earth or water. This, however, is not always the 

 cafe, nor is it delirable ; as if a httle water is not required 

 the dung muft be in too moift a ftate, and confequently too 

 mucii noxious vapour muft have attended the whole procefs. 

 It will be advifable however, he fays, from the little Inn 

 there is, to be fparing in the ufe of that element at thii 

 feafon of the year. 



The afparagus is moftly in a fituation to be cut about 

 five or fix weeks after the planting of the beds, or when the 

 plants are advanced five or fix inches above the furface of 

 the earth with which the beds are covered. In gathering 

 the fhoots in hot-beds, it is the beft method to break them 

 off as clofe to the bottom as poIFible, by thrufting the fingers 

 jand thumbs down into the beds. 



Asparagus Draco. See Dracena. 



h.%YKV.KQV% Scandens. SeeMEDEOLA. 



Asparagus was alfo ufed, by the ancient Greeks, to ex- 

 prefs not only the young (hoots of the plant of that name, 

 but any other young fproutsof an eatable plant. The fprouts 

 of the feveral kinds of cabbage were particularly cxpreffed 

 by this word, or fometimes by the compound term (ramh- 

 ojparagus. 



ASP 



ASPARN, in Geography, a town of Germany, in the 

 arch-duchy of Auftria, ten miles fouth-caft of Laab. 



ASPASIA, in Biography, a native of Miletus, and daugh- 

 ter of one Axiochus, was one of the moft celebrated ladies 

 of antiquitv, for her beauty, talents, and dilTolute life. He- 

 raclides fays, that flie k^pt an houfe of ill fame at Megara. 

 and after her removal to Athens, flie purfued the profelfion 

 of a coiirtefan, and of a procurefs. She was as much dif- 

 tinguilhed, however, by her mental accomplifliments, as by 

 the attraftions of herpcrfon, and tlie infamy of hercondudi. 

 In eloquence fl'.e furpaffed her contemporaries ; and her 

 converiation was fo pleafing and inftrudlive, that peifons of 

 the firll dillindlion, male and female, reforted to her houfe, 

 as to a fchool of rlietoric and fcience ; and fhe numbered even 

 Socrates among her hearers and admirers. Such were her 

 attainments in philofophy and politics, as well as the graces 

 of her perfon, that file captivated Pericles, the great Athe- 

 nian ftatefman ; fo that after an illegitimate coimedlion with 

 her, he divorced his own wife, and married Afpafia. By 

 her extcnfive knowledge, irrefiftible elocution, and intriguing 

 genius, flie for fome time direfted and influenced the adn-.i- 

 niftration of Athens. Accordingly, to her have been im- 

 puted the war againft Samos, and alfo that with Megara. 

 At length Afpafia was criminally profccuted by Hcrmippus 

 the comedian, on the two charges of impiety, and of entic- 

 ing women to her houfe for the gratification of Pericles ; 

 and it required all the tears and entreaties of Pericles to fave 

 her. After his death, flie formed a connedtion .with a per- 

 fon of low condition : and by her intereft and influence ad- 

 vanced him to the firft ofiices of the ftate. Plut. in vie 

 Pericl. Athen. hb. xiii. p. 560. C'icer. in Brut. Bayle, art, 

 Pericles. 



AspAsiA was alfo the name given by Cyrus to a young 

 woman of exquifite beauty, whofe original name was M'dto, 

 and who was the daughter of Hermotimus of Phocxa, a 

 perfon of mean circumltances. Plaving been taken captive 

 by the commander of Cyrus, brother of Artaxerxes Mne- 

 mon, he fcnt her to his mafter, whom file fo mi;ch captiva- 

 ted by her modefty and referve, as well as by her perfonal 

 charms, that he treated her more like a wife than a concubine. 

 Cyrus made her the partner of his counfels, and the compa- 

 nion of hi.s expeditions ; and fuch was her moderation, that 

 flie ufed her influence merely in making the fortune of her 

 father, -without aiming at any wealth and fplendour on her 

 own account. Her refpedlful attention to Paryfatis fecured 

 her favour ; and her magnificence was only difplayed in her 

 offerings to Venus, whom flie confidered as the patronefs of 

 her fortunes. When Cyrus loft his life in an engagement 

 with his brother, flie was equally favoured by him, into 

 whofe hands flie fell, as by her former mafter. Plutarch 

 and Juftin relate, that when Darius, fon of Artaxerxes, was 

 declared his fucceffor, and according to the cuftomary privi- 

 lege allowed him, aflvcd of his father this Afpafia ; tiie fair 

 female being permitted to make her eledlion, preferred the 

 fon. Upon which Artaxerxes took her out of his fon's 

 poffeflion, and ma^ her pricftefs of Diana, thus obliging 

 her to perpetual continence ; but the artifice occafioned the 

 rebellion of Darius. The ftoiy, however, is attended with 

 fome circumilances which weaken its credibility. Bavle, 

 art. Cyrus. 



Asp AS I A. jEtius has preferved fome fragments of the 

 works of this female phyfician, and commends fome of her 

 compofitions. She pretended to be acquainted with the ufe 

 of certain drugs that were efficacious in procuring abortion, 

 and even in preventing women from conceiving. Thefe', 

 however, were only to be adminiftered, flie laid, to women 

 who were incapable (fromdiftortion, er fome natural defedt, 



we 



