ON THE CULTURE OF ASPARAGUS. 



41 



them as little as possible to sun and air. I place one plant over 

 each mark made in the bed, spreading the roots out as regularly 

 as possible on the surface, and laying, as I proceed, a little soil 

 with the hand from the alleys on the plants, in order to fix them 

 in their places. The bed being planted, I strain the lines on 

 the outside, and with a spade throw the soil from the alleys 

 over the crowns, covering them about an inch and a half, but 

 not deeper. If any burned vegetable matter can be obtained 

 from the rubbish heap, I should recommend coating the beds 

 over, about half an inch in depth with it after they have been 

 planted. In autumn, when the stalks are ripe, cut them down 

 close, and clean off the beds, taking care not to disturb the soil, 

 the crowns being so near the surface. Make a mixture of equal 

 parts rotten dung and burned garden rubbish, and coat the beds 

 with it three inches in thickness, just covering it with soil from 

 the alleys. In this state allow them to remain during winter, 

 and early in March run it through with a fork down to the level 

 of the bed when covered. 



I have cut a few heads the second year after planting ; but 

 in the third year one-half the fine asparagus that comes up may 

 be cut without injuring the plants. The fourth year the beds 

 are in fine bearing condition, and when in this state my method 

 is to keep every thing cut, both large and small, up to the first 

 or second week in June, with the exception of the heads selected 

 for producing seed. After this time, I allow the whole totakeit3 

 natural growth, and I tind my beds to continue for years in a 

 good bearing state. Some of them were made ten years ago, 

 and I have cut finer asparagus from them this season than I did 

 three years back. And I must mention further, that I have not 

 put a barrow-load of dung on them for four years. In the 

 summer months, I keep the rubbish of the garden burning, 

 preserving the ashes dry until autumn, and, as soon as the 

 asparagus is fit to cut down, I take off half the soil above the 

 crowns with a fork, laying it on the alleys ; I then put on three 

 inches in thickness of burned rubbish, running it through with 

 a fork as near the crowns as possible without injuring them. 

 I then take a portion of the soil, that has been removed and 

 cover the bed with it, allowing it to remain on them through 

 the winter. Early in March I mix the whole well together 

 with a fork, and rake the beds off regularly, watering with 

 manure water once a week through the growing season, if 

 required. 



I have grown a crop of turnips or lettuces on my beds every 

 year since they were planted ; but I do not recommend the 

 plan if sufficient ground can be had for these crops in other parts 

 of the garden. 



