104 THE AMERICAN GARDENER. [Chap 



of America and that of Europe : at any rate, I 

 will ascertain the fact ; for I will carry some seed 

 to England. — As to the space which the beds 

 ought to occupy, that must depend on the size 

 of the family, who are to eat the Asparagus. 

 Plenty, however, is always a blessing v/hen the 

 commodity is a good one. About six beds across 

 one of the Plats will be sufficient for any family. 

 They might be at the west end of Plat, No. 6, 

 that being the warmest. — Asparagus may be had 

 in winter with the greatest facility. There are 

 but few things that are worth the trouble of a hot- 

 bed for the purpose of having them to eat in their 

 opposite season ; but, Asparagus is worth it. And 

 this is the way to have it for the table, even in Feb- 

 ruary, that month of snow and of north-westera 

 Sow some seed in the garden, in the manner before 

 described, the rows a foot asunder, and the plants 

 four inches apart in the row. Keep them clean, 

 and manure them the first year. Cut the haulm off 

 in the fall. Do not cover them during winter. In 

 the spring fork up the ground, manure it again ; 

 and, in the fall cut off the haulm again. Just be 

 fore the frost sets in, take up as many plants as you 

 will want for your hot-bed. Dig each plant up 

 without tearing it about ; and put them all care- 

 fully on a cellar floor, cover ihem over about half 

 a foot thick with fresh ground, and lay some straw 

 upon that to prevent the earth from drying too 

 much. In January prepare dung for a hot-bed ; 

 and make the bed in the manner as directed in Pa 

 ragraphs 69 to 74. When the heat has sufficiently 

 risen, put on ee^rth as in Paragraphs 75 and 76. 

 Upon this earth put your plants, straightening out 

 their roots in every direction. Let the crowns of 

 the roots be about 7 inches apart all over the bed. 



