ASPARAGUS CULTURE. 



30 



stools themselves. The earthed-up stools now reach to the 

 height of the line E (fig. 5), and even to the line F, if the 

 beds are very old. Early Asparagus rises, as a rule, about 

 J in. per annum, and the Late about half that distance. 



List of operations to be performed after the fourth year : 



1. — In November take away the tall shoots after having 

 cut them away about 12 in. below the soil. 



2. — During the winter we must break down the mounds at 

 least every three years. 



3. — Kebuild the mounds. 



4. — Manure must be distributed. 



5. — Make up the bottom of the trenches at the end of the 

 winter (say from the 15th to the 20th of March), by covering 

 them with 3 in. or 4 in. of soil that we took out of them 

 and threw on the mounds in the autumn. 



6. — Towards the end of March take away the old heads 

 and form arched-headed mounds of 7 in. or 8 in. in depth 

 over the stools. 



7. — Hoe as often as necessity requires it ; but, whether 

 weeds are troublesome or not, the whole ground should be 

 well hoed four times a year from March to October, namely 

 in April, June, July, and September. 



8. — Break down the small round-headed mounds immedi- 

 ately after the crop has been gathered, except high winds 

 -are liable to break the shoots, in which case it is better not 

 to unearth. 



9. — Support the shoots with sticks if necessary, but this is 

 not needful when the plant is produced on a large scale. 



Digging.— Under this heading may be included both the 

 breaking down and building up operations connected with 

 Asparagus culture, as well as the frequent hoeings which 

 must be practised. The hoeings are a kind of superficial 

 digging which only penetrated a slight depth below the surface, 

 and are performed by means of a shallow hoe or even a 

 Take. The other two operations are performed with the large 

 hoe and flat-toothed fork. This latter instrument is but 



