378 THE FLORIST AND 



circumstances, the roots meet with no obstruction to their full development. 

 An analysis of the ash of the plant, by Levy, shows the following con- 

 stituents : 



Potash 



20.48 



Sulphuric acid - 



5.72 



Soda 



2.89 



Phosphoric acid 



10.03 



Lime 



13.15 



Carbonic acid - 



25.71 



Magnesia - 



3.24 



Chlorine - 



3.21 



Peroxide of iron 



4.22 



Loss - 



1.35 



Silicia 



9.99 







100.00 

 The native habits of the plant, and its inorganic constituents should be 



our guide in preparing the ground for its cultivation. We have prepared 

 two beds upon our present premises, the one upon upland, and the other 

 upon reclaimed salt-marsh. That upon the upla nd is about a rod square 

 and was prepared by removing the surface-soil to the depth of about two 

 feet, pushing in stones, oyster-shells, and bones at the bottom, a heavy 

 coating of manure over these, and then the surface-soil replaced. We give 

 this, every winter, about a bushel of course refuse salt, and heavy dressing 

 of manure, either from the pig-stye, or the privy. This has produced 

 admirably, and we thought it the perfection of *n Asparagus bed, until we 

 made a second. The lower part of our garden, a strip some four hundred 

 feet long by a rod in width, was originally a marsh with salt-water ditch for 

 the boundary line. This we began to reclaim, some three years since, and 

 appropriated, about one-third to Asparagus. The marsh was removed to 

 the depth of three and in some places four feet, and stones aud blasted 

 rocks from the upland, rolled into the vacuum and then the marsh mud put 

 on top of them ; raising the surface of the land about two feet above its 

 former height. After this had been heavily manured, we set out our plants 

 in drills, about two feet apart, and eighteen inches in the drill, covering 

 them with two or three inches of the soil. The new made land receives the 

 wash of the adjacent hill-side, which furnishes it with all the sand it need 

 Though it is situated, where its roots have access to salt-water every side' 

 we give it a heavy coating of salt every winter, and manure the surface 

 liberally from the pig-stye. We have once given it a dressing of oyster- 

 shell lime, which the analysis shows to be an important constituent in its 

 composition. To furnish the potash, we burnt a portion of the course sods, 

 and peat from the marsh, and strewed the ashes upon the surface. The 

 result has been surprising to all beholders. The light porous black soil 

 feels the first genial sunshine of spring, and the plants start about a week 

 earlier than those upon the adjacent upland. 



