ASPARAGUS CULTURE. 



77 



in the cultivation of that vegetable. It is a very common 

 thing, particularly in private gardens, to pile up a great ridge 

 of earth and plant three rows of two-year-old roots on the top 

 of it, thinking that that is the right mode of culture, forgetting 

 that in a few years they will have to pile up more and more, 

 because all those plants which form a number of crowns keep 

 getting to the surface. I believe that growing Asparagus in 

 single roots, about 3 ft. by 4 ft., is the best for many reasons, 

 and one is that it will apparently last for many years if well 

 attended to. I do not agree with some that it is a waste of 

 manure to give it a good supply at the time of starting, and I 

 also think the ground can be too good. The seed should 

 certainly, however, be sown on a piece of the best land, as the 

 stronger the young one-year-old plants are the better. They 

 should not be more than from 4 in. to 6 in. from plant to plant. 

 By this means one gets good strong plants, which will have a 

 good start. 



Little Button. Francis K. Dancer. 



The prizes offered for Asparagus grown on the Argen- 



teuil system will give a great lift for the better cultivation of 

 that delicious vegetable. At present the greatest bulks of it is 

 grown in beds where the roots are huddled together, and 

 where it is not possible for them to spread so as to produce 

 large heads. I particularly observed a single plant of Oon- 

 nover's Colossal that I planted in the garden here, and which, 

 by keeping it well staked from the time it was a year old till 

 four years, produced very large heads, like the best French- 

 grown Asparagus. The soil was rather stiff, and no extra depth 

 was given it, but well-rotted manure was put on the plant 

 every winter. Since my experience with this plant, I planted in 

 1876 some in rows 4 ft. apart, and 2 ft. between each plant, and 

 I expect to cut good heads in 1879. I am not an advocate for 

 cutting blanched Asparagus with only the tips green, but it is 

 the fashionable way of eating it at present. 



Welbeck. W. Tillery. 



