26 THE BOOK OF ASPARAGUS 



been hurriedly done, for I found fringes of roots in 

 straight lines which had never been covered up, for 

 instead of being convex or flat the drill was concave. 

 I remarked that he had been planting asparagus. 

 " Yes," said the gardener, "we have got it in; but 

 how did you know since the plants are not up ? " I 

 explained that he had not covered up the roots because 

 the drills were not wide enough. " Oh," he said, "they 

 will grow all right, but I know you are so particular." 

 " Yes," I said, " they will not die, for it is a pity that 

 asparagus will stand much careless treatment." Other- 

 wise, perhaps asparagus culture would turn out more 

 satisfactorily, for though the plant is accommodating, it 

 is only careful gardening which yields really good 

 results. This impresses itself on me when I see nearly 

 every way but the best generally dealt out to it. I 

 think it would pay all intending growers to visit 

 France and see French methods and results. There are 

 certainly some good English growers, but there are ten 

 indifferent ones to one quite first-rate. This is not a 

 pleasant truth to write or to read. 



Forcing 



I am sure that all will admit the time allotted for 

 cutting asparagus out of doors to be much too short to 

 satisfy lovers of this vegetable. Therefore the art of 

 prolonging the season — doubling the season I might say 

 — must be a great item in its culture. I will here give 

 several methods by which this can be done. Early 

 asparagus is considered a great luxury, and very early 

 produce fetches a high price, but there are many means 

 of producing it in large quantities, which means I will 

 here describe. 



Forcing is a branch of culture which is much neglected. 

 It is well known that asparagus cutting in the open 



