64 



ASPARAGUS CULTURE, 



may be grown either in the open ground or in heat. If for 

 ordinary cultivation we ought to select the best varieties to 

 be obtained, we ought to be still more careful in choosing 

 our plants when we are going to force them. The strongest 

 and healthiest-looking plants should be chosen for this pur- 

 pose. 



Forcing in the Open Ground. — Beds are prepared in 

 the ordinary way of ft. in width with a distance between 

 them of from 2 ft. 2 in. to 2 ft. 4 in., the stools being planted 

 about 1 ft. 1 in. apart in every direction, so that there are 

 three longitudinal rows of plants in each bed, the outer rows 

 being about 6 \ in. from the edge of the bed. The same care 

 is bestowed on these plantations as on others, and when the 

 third winter comes, we may begin to force the Asparagus 

 planted in this manner. For this purpose, towards the end 

 of October or the beginning of November, we dig out 

 the soil forming the pathways between the beds to the depth 

 of about 1 ft. 8 in., the trench itself being about 2 ft. 4 in. 

 in width. In digging out these trenches we throw out suffi- 

 cient soil to cover the stools to the depth of about 1 ft., in 

 order that the forced heads may be of a good length, and 

 may remain white. This done, we fill up the trenches with 

 good fresh stable manure, beating it down evenly, after which 

 we cover the beds with as many frames, with their accom- 

 panying lights, as they will hold to keep up the heat of the 

 beds. The frames should be about 6 in. or 7 in. apart. If 

 we place any stable manure inside the frames, it must be 

 taken out fifteen clays after it has been put in for reasons before 

 explained. Every evening towards sunset straw mats are 

 thrown over the frames to prevent chilling. If the cold is 

 persistent, or increases in severity, the straw mats should be 

 doubled, and if it be very intense we may even fill up the 

 spaces between the frames with warm stable litter, and do 

 the same with the trenches between the rows. Asparagus 

 treated in this fashion begins to show above the soil in from 

 twelve to fifteen days, according to the heat to whioh the 

 l)eds have been subjected. If the weather is very cold, they 



