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XXXVII. On a Method of Growing Asparagus in single 

 Rows, as practised by Mr. Walter Dickson, at Red- 

 braes, near Edinburgh. In a Letter to the Secretary. 

 By Mr. Andrew Dickson, F. H. S. 



Read March 21, 1826. 



Sir, 



Mb. Dickson's method of growing Asparagus in single 

 rows, of which you have requested an account, is so simple, 

 that little explanation will be required. It occurred to him 

 that planting Asparagus in single row T s, particularly in the 

 soil of his Garden, (which is a light black earth upon a subsoil 

 of sand) might answer much better than in beds, as it would 

 enable him to introduce manure to the roots, by pointing it 

 in between the rows with the spade. He had observed that 

 the usual mode of dressing Asparagus beds by a covering of 

 dung in winter on the surface was apt to produce canker, 

 and that consequently many of the plants in the beds came 

 up sickly and weak in spring, and ultimately decayed during 

 the summer. The first plantation he made in single rows 

 was m our Leith Walk Nursery upwards of twenty-five years 

 ago, and this yet retains its vigour and produces fine heads. 

 This I think you did not see when you were at Edinburgh, 

 otherwise you would have noticed he had erred in not giving 

 sufficient room between the rows, which are only two and a 

 half feet apart. 



The plantations he has since either made himself or re- 



