ASPARAGUS. 



23 



^ press the earth well down about the seed ; and, as soon 

 as the frost sets in, but not before, cover the ground with 

 muck or litter, a foot deep, and lay some boards or poles to 

 prevent its blowing off. As soon as the frost breaks up in 

 the spring, take off the litter, and you will have the plants 

 quickly up." 



Asparagus beds may be from four to four and a half feet 

 wide, with alleys of two feet in width between them. In 

 these beds " the soil should not be less than two feet and a 

 half deep, and, before planting a bed, it is considered good 

 practice to trench it over to that depth, burying plenty of dung 

 in the bottom, as no more can be applied there for eight or 

 ten years. It can scarcely, therefore, be too well dunged ; be- 

 sides, though the plant naturally grows in poor, sandy soil, 

 it is found that the sweetness and tenderness of the shoots 

 depend very much on the rapidity of the growth ; and this 

 is promoted by the richness of the soil. Damp ground, or 

 a wet subsoil, is not fit for asparagus. Indeed the French 

 consider wetness as so prejudicial to this plant, that they 

 raise their asparagus beds about a foot above the alleys, in 

 order to throw off the rain." — Hort. Trans* 



Method of planting, — " Stretch a line lengthwise the bed 

 nine inches from the edge, and with a spade cut out a small 

 trench about six inches deep, perpendicular next to the 

 line, turning the earth displaced along by the other side of 

 the trench ; and, having the plants ready, set a row along 

 the trench, nine inches apart, with the crown of the roots 

 two inches below the surface, drawing some earth, just to 

 fix them as placed. Having planted one row, directly 

 cover them in fully with the earth of the trench, raking 

 it back regularly an equal depth over the crown of the 

 plants. Proceed then to open another trench a foot from 

 the first : plant it as above ; and in the same manner plant 

 four rows in each bed. Then, lightly raking the beds 

 lengthwise, draw off any stones and hard clods, and dress the 

 surface neat and even. Then let the edges be lined out in 

 exact order, allowing three feet for each alley. But some- 

 times, in planting large compartments of asparagus, a first 

 trench having been made, and the roots placed as above, 

 then a second trench is opened, of which the earth is turn- 

 ed into the first over the plants. So proceed in planting 

 the whole ; making allowance between every four rows for 



