400 
towards the middle of June, and in the northern 
parts by the end of that month. If the plants 
are weak, they ought to be allowed to grow up 
as early as possible to make foliage, and conse- 
quently fresh roots, and thus to acquire more 
vigour for the ensuing year. It is also advisable 
to leave off cutting, at an early period, some of 
the best of the beds formed for early produce, 
in order that the shoots may be well matured 
early in autumn; and consequently that the 
young shoots may be prepared to push vigor- 
ously early in spring. 
Duration of the Plantation.— Asparagus beds 
in favourable soil will continue to bear well for 
many years if properly managed, especially as | 
regards cutting; but if too severely cut they | 
will soon become unproductive, however well 
they may have been originally formed, or how- | 
ever good their treatment in other respects. 
By continually cutting off all the shoots through- 
out the season, as they appeared, the plants 
would be completely destroyed, just as the 
most obstinate weeds would ultimately be if so 
treated. If astrong Asparagus root were allowed 
to mature all the shoots it produced, these of 
course would return organized matter for the 
formation of still finer buds, and production 
of a proportionate quantity of fresh roots. But 
if all the shoots are cut off as they appear, 
except one, perhaps, late in the season, sap can- 
not be elaborated for the proper maintenance 
of the whole of the roots, and consequently a 
portion of those least in connection with the 
shoot which is left will perish. If the same 
severe process of cutting is pursued the follow- 
ing season, the plant is almost certain to suc- 
cumb. When blanks begin to appear in beds, 
the latter should in future be more sparingly 
dealt with. There is only one case in which 
severe cutting is excusable, and that is when 
a piece of Asparagus is about to be thrown up, 
then market-gardeners and others cut as long 
as the produce pays for the trouble of cutting. 
The duration of Asparagus beds mainly de- 
pends on the manner in which cutting is con- 
ducted. If carefully done, the beds may con- 
tinue in good bearing for fifteen or twenty years, 
and even longer. It should, however, be re- 
membered that to have fresh beds in bearing | 
condition to supply the place of those past good | 
yielding, four or five years must elapse from the 
time of sowing, and therefore it is not good 
practice to unduly delay the starting of new 
beds. 
Seeds.—Some of the finest shoots which push 
in the early part of the season, and on the south 
THE GARDENER’S ASSISTANT. 
sides of the beds, should be allowed to run up 
for seed. As the stems grow up, some of the 
most promising may be tied to stakes to prevent 
breakage by the wind; but in doing this care 
should be taken not to crowd the branches, in 
order that the foliage may be exposed to the 
light as freely and equally as possible. With 
the growth of plants so reserved, that of others 
adjoining should not be allowed to interfere. 
When at maturity the largest of the red berries 
should be selected. After lying a week or two 
they may either be squeezed between the hands, 
and the seeds washed from the pulp, or the 
berries may be dried, in which case the seeds 
will keep the longest. 
Forcing Asparagus (Figs. 1154). —This is an 
janduseRy of some importance in the neighbour- 
hood of Paris. It is also practised in a few 
Fig. 1154 —View and Section of Frames for forcing Asparagus 
(French Method). 
gardens in this country. The following account 
of the French method of forcing is taken from 
Robinson’s Parks and Gardens of Paris:—“The 
forcing alone of Asparagus throughout the 
autumn, winter, and early spring is an industry 
of considerable extent. In one of the most 
recently-organized and active of these gardens 
about half an acre of glass is devoted solely to 
the forcing of Asparagus, and a supply is ob- 
tained from early in September to the end of 
April. It is forced in three ways—in houses 
heated with hot water; in frames in the ground 
-and heated in the same way; and lastly, in 
frames covered with stable-manure. It ap- 
pears to be forced with equal success in each 
case, though the stable-manure seems to offer 
the simplest means. As usual here, the frames 
are small, about 4 feet wide; the roots are 
placed directly on the manure, not flat, as they 
would be in the open ground, but packed as 
closely as possible, from 500 to 2000 plants, 
according to size, going under one light. <A 
mere sprinkling of soil is placed over them. As 
