IS 



ASPARAGUS CULTUUE. 



described under the following heads, viz. : Planting, summer 

 treatment, winter treatment. 



About the end of March or beginning of April (or even in 

 May, when the young heads are 6 or 8 inches high), choose a 

 dry day, and have the ridged-up surface neatly levelled down, 

 after which, slightly dig the ground over again, which will 

 thoroughly mix the surface with the manure and sand first 

 applied ; then tread over the whole, regularly, with the feet, 

 and proceed to mark off, with the measuring rod, the places 

 for the intended lines, at 4 feet apart ; studying to run them 

 as nearly north and south as possible, marking the place of 

 each line with the corner of a draw-hoe, as for Peas. This 

 being done all over the plot, at the distances described, have 

 a quantity of compost ready, such as one-third rotten leaves, 

 or rotted dung, one-third fresh soil (a hazel-coloured sandy 

 loam from the corner of any grass-field is best), and one-third 

 river or sea-sand. If this has been for some time previously 

 prepared, so much the better. Along each drill or line lay a 

 small ridge of the said materials, so that, when ready for plant- 

 ing, a section of the surface of the plot will appear thus : — • 



ridge. ridge. ridge. ridge. 



Choose, if possible, good strong two-year-old plants, a 

 quantity of which may always be kept in a reserve seed-bed 

 for successional plantations in any odd corner of the garden. 

 As it is of essential importance that the roots should be as 

 little exposed as possible during planting to a drying atmo- 

 sphere, it may be best to proceed thus : — carefully lift the plants, 

 and cover them over in the barrow or basket with a little sand : 

 proceed to set them on the little ridge or saddle prepared for 

 them, as a man sits upon horseback, at about 6 inches apart 

 from each other, having a person to follow with a barrowful of 

 sand, which, with the spade, he lays over the roots and c rowns, 

 about 1 inch thick, observing to tread successively both sides 

 of each line a3 he proceeds, with one foot, to firm the sand to 

 the plants, so as to secure them from the action of the air 



PLANTING. 



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