ON VEGETABLE CULTURE. 



1049 



plants should have some coal-ashes or litter placed close up to the 

 hearts to protect them, removing the same in spring. There 

 is little difference between the Green Globe and the Purple 

 Globe, both varieties being satisfactory when well grown. 



Jerusalem Artichokes (Fig. 678) are seldom the success they 

 could be made if better cultivated. As a rule, they are planted in 

 the worst part of the garden, but \vhen given an open, sunny 

 position, with sufficient room for development, and a rich soil, 

 the tubers are not only freely produced, but are also large and of 

 superior flavour. To grow 

 them well, the ground should 

 be deeply dug and w^ell 

 manured in the autumn or 

 winter, incorporating fresh 

 or green manure, and leaving 

 the soil on the surface as 

 rough as possible. At the 

 end of February or early in 

 March, when the soil is in 

 good working order, the Fig. 678. — Jerusalem Artichokes. 

 tubers should be planted in 



lines 3ft. apart, allowing i8in. between the tubers in the lines. 

 When about Sin. high, the plants should have the soil drawn up 

 to them, as with Potatoes, and weeds should be kept down 

 during the summer. When the tops die back in the autumn all 

 the tubers may be carefully lifted and stored in a cool, frost- 

 proof shed, the same as other root crops. 



Asparagus. 



It is now well known that very fine Asparagus may be grown 

 without going to the expense formerly incurred in taking out 

 soil to the depth of several feet and replacing with expensive 

 compost. Providing the drainage is good, any fairly porous soil 

 can be made to grow Asparagus as easily as any other vegetable. 

 If the soil is sandy or a good porous loam, deep digging and 

 liberal manuring in the autumn or winter will be preparation 

 enough. When the soil is clayey or tenacious, however, the addi- 

 tion of material to make it more porous is essential — sand, road- 

 scrapings or parings, ashes from burnt rubbish, and strawy 

 manure, are all excellent. In digging or trenching, the surface soil 

 should be left as rough as possible, thus fully exposing it to the 

 action of the weather. By the end of March the soil will be in 

 a nice crumbly condition, and in capital order for seed-sowing. 

 Beds may be made 5ft. wide, a drill being drawn down the 

 centre, and on each side another drill should be drawn i8in. from 

 the middle one, or ift. from the side. Thin sowing is advisable, 

 as the plants ought to be thinned out to i8in. apart in the rows 

 when large enough. The after-treatment consists in keeping 



