S54 



The Cultivation of Asparagus. 



[JUNE, 



The Board have received through the Foreign Office the 

 following report by Mr. Vice-Consul Stevenson on the subject of 

 the cultivation of asparagus in Brunswick. 

 The Cultivation of xhe culture of asparagus in Brunswick 



year to year. 



Seed. — In considering the various causes which have con- 

 tributed to this success it may be well to commence with the 

 seed, especial attention having been paid to it. It has been the 

 custom, when cutting the asparagus in spring, to leave the 

 strongest and thickest plants in the ground. With a view to 

 making these stronger, all successive sprouts from the same root 

 are cut away, so that the whole strength may be concentrated 

 in the seed-bearing stalk. These stalks are then fastened to 

 sticks, that they may not be damaged by strong winds. In case 

 of drought they must be watered, and a dressing with liquid 

 tnanure tends to a fuller development of the seed. When the 

 plants are dead and yellow and exhibit red berries the seed 

 is ripe, and it must then be gathered and cleaned after the 

 removal of such seeds as are not fully developed. 



Seedlings. — The seed must be sown in the month of March 

 in well- manured soil, sandy rather than heavy. The beds are 

 dug over at this time, because the ground then begins to be 

 warmer and the young plants develop better than when the seed 

 has been sown in the autumn. 



The rows are about 20 in. apart, and the seeds are sown 

 separately at a depth of in. and to 2 in, from each other, so 

 that the young plants have plenty of space to develop. The 

 ground is then made smooth with a rake and gently patted 

 down. As soon as the plants appear above the ground great 

 care must be taken to eradicate any weeds. 



Choice of SoiL — A light sandy soil with a slightly loamy 

 subsoil is most favourable for asparagus ; a deep sandy soil is 

 also not bad, but this requires plenty of good manure. In a soil 

 consisting of sand and loam the plants mature later, so that the 

 stalks should be cut much thicker. 



A piece of ground sloping to the south is the best position for 

 asparagus-beds. W here a soil is in other respects suitable but 



Asparagus in 

 Brunswick, 



has from the first proved very lucrative, 

 and its importance has increased from 



