SECT. XV. OF ESCULENTS. 203 



as they bear the fame year, only come in later, and 

 with fmaller heads than the old plants. If being planted 

 late, they do not produce in the prefent feafon, they 

 come forwarder the next fumrner than old flools do ; 

 but remember, a good foil and open fituation are abfo- 

 I.itely neceffary for the artichoke. 'Tis of fervice to 

 lay grafs mowings, or fome litter, about the roots to 

 keep them cool ; for though artichokes mould not be 

 planted in a moift foil, on account of frofl, yet they 

 thrive belt in a cool one. Artichokes that come late, 

 may be cut with their full ftalks, and being laid up to 

 the head in moift fand, in a cellar, will keep a month, 

 to that they may fometimes be had at Cbriflmas* 



Asparagus, there is (in fafct) but one fort of, as 

 an efculent; but fome difference occurs as to fize, 

 colour, and flavour, arifing from cultivation. In order 

 to obtain targe heads, and to have the beds continue to 

 produce the longer, much dung is ufed ; but the lefs 

 of it, the fweeter will this vegetable be, fo that in a 

 foil naturally prolific, no dung need be ufed. 



Afparagus beds are commonly made from plants, but 

 the preferable way is from feed, the belt of which is 

 the Gravejcnd fort. The time for both is March, 

 rather early in the month than late, though the begin- 

 ning of April may do. The plants mould be only a 

 year old, and fet in rows a foot diflance, and the rbots 

 the fame, or a little lefs in the rows. 



Making the beds four feet and a half wide, there 

 will be four rows of plants, and nine inches left 

 between the outfide rows and the ..lleys, which fhould 

 be two feet wide. The beds ought to be trenched 'full 

 eighteen inches deep, and enriched with dung that is 

 well confumed, burying it below the roots; they will 

 foon flrike into the dung, which had befl not lay im- 

 mediately about them. If fome mould of rotted vege- 

 tables, or wood pile earth, in the ftronger foils ; and a 

 little pond mud in the lighter, .were mixed with the 

 top foil, it would greatly help the plants; or if none 



K 6 • other 



