510 On the Cultivation of Asparagus during the Winter. 



being thus more exposed to the atmosphere during the 

 winter. 



In the following spring, when the frost is quite out of the 

 ground, and the soil is fit for working, the whole is trenched 

 and well worked through with a fork ; being thus well mixed 

 together, it is then levelled, and divided into beds. I allow 

 four feet for a bed, and two feet for the alleys, two rows of 

 Asparagus on each bed, and the plants two feet apart. In 

 each end of the beds are driven two pegs to indicate the 

 margins when the alleys are subsequently to be digged up. 



I always use one year old plants, which, indeed, is the 

 usual practice with us, and is preferable to sowing seed in 

 the bed to remain, by which a whole year is lost. The holes 

 for receiving the plants must be at least eight inches in 

 diameter, and four inches deep, formed into a hill in the 

 centre, whereon the plants are laid ; after all their roots and 

 fibres are spread out in the holes, they are immediately 

 covered with good rich mould, full four inches above the 

 crown. Some gardeners will not admit any other vegetable 

 to grow on their Asparagus beds, I have however the first 

 year taken a small crop from the beds, either a row of early 

 Radishes or Lettuces, or drilled a row of Onions of the large 

 Spanish kind, just in the middle of the beds where it only 

 occupies a space four inches broad, which I have not found 

 to do the least injury, for the roots of such vegetables do not 

 extend deep in the ground. The second and subsequent 

 years no vegetables whatever ought to be sown or planted 

 on the beds. In the autumn, when the tops are cut off 

 (one inch under the surface of the ground) the beds are 

 to be stirred up with a fork very carefully. A line is then 



