88 ON THE GROWTH OF ASPARAGUS. 



and in April levelled down to the same position 

 as they were before turning, when they will be 

 fit to receive the asparagus roots, which should 

 be two years old ; the ground being first lightly 

 trodden over, and formed into beds three feet 

 wide, with alleys of three feet between them. 



In these beds plant two rows of roots in 

 April, eighteen inches apart, and eighteen 

 inches between each, by making rows or drills 

 about three inches deep ; the roots should be 

 carefully parted and laid in them, one-half to 

 the right hand, and the other to the left, taking 

 care to keep the crowns upright. When planted, 

 level the surface neatly with a rake. Keep the 

 beds free from weeds during the summer ; and in 

 November following cover them over with about 

 four inches of the mould from the alleys. In 

 March fork over the surface four inches deep, 

 and in the succeeding November add another 

 four inches from the alleys ; and in the subse- 

 quent March they should be forked over eight 

 or nine inches deep, and so on until the roots 



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