ASPARAGUS. 



63 



does not like to have its roots sopping in wet ; and yet it likes rich 

 and rather moist ground. It is understood that the whole of the 

 garden has been trenched to the depth of three feet nine inches, to 

 which depth, however, the root of the asparagus will not be very 

 long in going ; for, if the culture be good, and the bottom free from 

 stagnant water, a plantation will last a good long life-time, or 

 more. The ground being manured well, w ell-dug, and made very 

 fine, lay out your beds in March, in dry weather ; or, indeed, in good 

 ground, any time in April may do very well. Suppose four beds 

 to be wanted, each of them as long as the width of one of the plats 

 in the garden. Lay out the four beds at the w est end, for instance, 

 of plat g ; and the beds wdll, of course, run from north to south : 

 each bed is to be four feet wdde and each alley between the beds 

 two feet, or two feet and a half, wide. As you mark out your beds, 

 drive down, at each corner, a pin of some durable wood, about the 

 size of your wrist (if it be a stout one), and going dow^n into the 

 ground a foot and a half at least, leaving six inches to be above 

 ground ; these pins being always ready to apply the line to, wil 

 prevent the beds from ever getting out of their proper shape. Hav- 

 ing laid out the beds, make three lines along each, placing the first 

 line at six inches from the outside of the bed. The lines are to be 

 a foot apart, and that will leave six inches from the outside line to 

 the outside of the bed ; sow the seed along these lines, press it well 

 down into the ground, and cover it lightly. The plants will be up 

 in June ; and, as soon as they are fairly up, thin them to a foot apart, 

 and keep them very clean and nicely hoed all the summer. They 

 will, in the autumn, have stalks or haulm about a foot high, which 

 will turn yellow in the month of November. When it does so cut it 

 off, and cover the bed an inch or two deep w ith a mixture of wood 

 ashes or other compost. Thus the beds wdll lie all the winter. In 

 the spring, March, or early in April, move the tops of the beds with 

 a fork, and carefully pick out all weeds that make their ap- 

 pearance ; and then throw upon the beds earth about two inches 

 deep from the alleys, making that earth very fine, and keeping the 

 edges of the alleys very smooth and straight. The plants will now 

 send Out several shoots from each crown, and, if kept clean during 

 the summer, the haulm will attain the height of three feet. This 

 year the plants will bear some seed ; but no notice is to be taken 

 of that ; and, in the month of November, when the haulm becomes 

 yellow, you cut it off again close to the ground, and lay on good. 



