4 



ASPARAGUS CULTURE. 



years cr more, it is advisable to decide, before forming the plant- 

 ation, whether or not any alterations are likely to be made that 

 would in any way disturb the beds. The ground should be 

 trenched to the depth of 3 feet, at the same time turning in a 

 heavy dressing of manure and seaweed (should the latter be 

 easily obtained, otherwise it would not be advisable to go to 

 the expense of procuring it, as very good Asparagus can be 

 grown without it) ; and should the ground be deficient in 

 depth or quality, some good sweet loam from an old pasture 

 may most advantageously be employed. These ought to be 

 thoroughly incorporated with the soil at the time of trenching, 

 and so worked that they may have an enriching and ameliorat- 

 ing influence on every particle of soil in the beds. This trench- 

 ing should be performed in the beginning of winter, and laid 

 up in the common way of ridging, thus to remain till spring, 

 when, towards the end of March or first week of April, according 

 to the state of the weather and condition of the ground, the 

 ridges may be levelled, choosing for the operation a fine dry 

 day. ITork and tumble over with a strong fork or pickaxe 

 the ridges at all times when frozen hard, in order 

 to pulverize, sweeten, and incorporate all well together 

 The principle of success with this vegetable lies within a small 

 compass. All seem to acknowledge that, in order to obtain a 

 good crop, there must be a good depth of rich soil. About 

 forty years ago a good piece of ground was chosen to make a 

 permanent plantation of Asparagus. It was trenched 3 feet 

 deep in trenches 3 feet wide, and cast up into rough ridges, 

 after a crop of summer Peas. All decaying vegetation in the 

 rubbish-yards and corners was at the same time well salted and 

 turned up. Early in autumn, also, were added some old Mush- 

 room, Melon, and Cucumber -bed material, a lot of manure from 

 piggeries, cow-houses, and stables, a quantity of road-grit and 

 sand, a quantity of ditch and drain parings, turfy loam and 

 sods, quite 3 feet thick. These were all turned over four times 

 and well incorporated together, between Michaelmas and Lady 

 Day, as one would a dung-heap, the whole being left in large 

 ridges exposed to the frost.* ~> By April this compost was in a 

 kindly state ; it was, therefore, laid down and planted with 

 good, clean, one-year-old Asparagus plants, which certainly 

 grew in a most extraordinary way, and the second year pro- 

 duced wonderful shoots as to size ; and the same plantation 

 has continued to produce fine heads ever since. In order to 

 give a fair idea of the quality of " grass " which this plantation 

 is still producing, it may be mentioned that one hundred heads 



