JA^rUARY. 



earth the length of your frame : place the plants 

 against this ridge, close to each other, their tops up- 

 right, and draw a httle earth to the bottom of the 

 plants to keep them in their places ; then raise an- 

 other ridge and place other plants against it in like 

 manner, till your bed is covered with plants ; their 

 tops must be level with each other: then bank up 

 the outside plants all around with moist earth or clay 

 as high or two inches higher thaii tiie tops of the 

 plants, and cover the tops with rich light earth two 

 inches deep. Asparagus beds made thus, should be 

 on a dry situation, where the earth is rich and light* 

 If you have not such a situation, the trench must 

 not be more than six iuches deep, and rich light earth 

 mast be brought from another place for covering 

 the plants. In about two weeks, the plants will be- 

 gin to appear through the earth : w^hen that is the 

 case, wind a thick straw rope round the bed, so as 

 to rest upon the clay which banks up the outmost 

 plants. Thrust w^ooden pegs through the rope and into 

 the bed, so as to prevent the rope or band being press- 

 ed out when the frame is placed on it : the straw ban- 

 dage must be three or four inches thick ; and being thus 

 secured, proceed to lay four inches more mould over 

 the plants. If the bed is not more than a temperate 

 heat, put on your frame : to ascertain the heat, run a 

 stick down into the bed and feel the stick in five or ten 

 minutes, stopping the hole afterwards. If the bed is 



too hot, keep off the frame till the heat subsides 



From the time of planting, till you put on the frame, 

 defend the beds from any heavy rains and snows that 

 fall, with straw or litter. After the frame is put on, 

 raise the lights when there is a great steam under 

 them, and admit air daily. The first fourteen days af- 

 ter planting, try the heat once or twice a day, by 

 means of a stick ; and if there be aery danger that the 

 "oots burn, bore holes on each side of the bed, both 

 the dung and in the earth under the roots, to let out 



