128 



CULINARY OR KITCHEN GARDEN. 



such as Gravesend, Battersea, giant or Gray- 

 son's, true Reading giant, &c. No doubt much 

 depends on saving seed from the best plants, as 

 is the case with everything else, instead of 

 gathering it promiscuously, as is too frequently 

 done ; and while the prices of seeds are so low 

 as they now are, there is little inducement for 

 the seed-grower to do otherwise. 



Insects and diseases. — Snails and slugs are often 

 troublesome in mild springs, attacking the buds 

 as they push through the soil : they often attack 

 the stems of the plants when well grown, near to 

 the ground ; but they can be readily got rid of by 

 dusting lime over the ground in the evenings. 

 From its caustic property, on touching their 

 bodies it speedily kills them. The wireworm 

 is a much more to be dreaded enemy ; it per- 

 forates the centre of the buds under ground, 

 and totally destroys them. Piercing the ground 

 amongst the roots with an obtuse-pointed dib- 

 ber, and pouring about a table-spoonful of spirits 

 of tar into each hole, will kill numbers of them; 

 setting traps of slices of carrots, potatoes, or 

 turnips, attached to a skewer, and burying them 

 close to the tops of the crown, will attract them 

 by thousands, and on drawing them up every 

 other day they will be found attached to them, 

 and may easily be destroyed. This may be con- 

 sidered a tedious process ; it is nevertheless a 

 most effectual one. 



The asparagus beetle, Crioceris asparagi, fig. 

 50, is often found during the early part of sum- 

 mer depositing its eggs on the stalks. It ap- 

 pears to abound much more in some seasons 

 than in others ; and while it is a grievous pest 



Fig. 50. 



ASPARAGUS BEETLE AND GRUB. 



in one locality, it is next to unknown in others. 

 In the year 1836 it abounded in the gardens 

 round London, the larvae, beetles, and eggs 

 being often detected on the same plant and at 

 the same time. The larvae feed on the leaves 

 and stems, and are much more destructive to 

 young plants than to older ones. The larvae 

 are fully grown about the end of June, and may 

 readily be detected, appearing of a dirty olive- 

 green colour, fleshy and shining; in form some- 

 what cylindrical, narrower towards the head ; 



tail recurved, holding fast to the plant by a 

 fleshy foot ; head small, black and shining; pec- 

 toral feet small, and six in number, and set at a 

 considerable distance apart; sides plaited ; belly 

 covered with fleshy protuberances. Their larva 

 state is of short duration, continuing only about 

 ten days : as it is only in this state they seem 

 to feed, their numbers and activity must be 

 great to commit much mischief, and hence, per- 

 haps, so little is known of this insect or its 

 habits. It then descends into the earth to un- 

 dergo its changes. In its pupa state it assumes a 

 curved position, and in the course of three weeks 

 the perfect beetle is formed, when it ascends 

 the plants to deposit its eggs. No very reason- 

 able means has been as yet discovered for its 

 destruction. 



Asparagus copper-v;eb, or fungus. — This de- 

 structive fungus has recently been detected in 

 Cambridgeshire, where vast quantities of aspa- 

 ragus are grown for the London market. It at 

 first appears as a mould, spreading widely and 

 rapidly amongst the plants, killing every one it 

 attacks. It is also found to be destructive to 

 carrots and potatoes. As yet this fungus is only 

 known as a mycelium. It has not as yet been 

 found in a perfect state of fructification, to en- 

 able botanists to determine its species. Saffron 

 and lucerne crops have been long ago attacked 

 by a similar, if not the same disease. The origin 

 of this fungus is not known ; its effects show 

 themselves as a pale madder-coloured web, and 

 although not visibly penetrating into the sub- 

 stance of the roots of the plants, yet it so com- 

 pletely impedes all communication of the tissues 

 with the external air as completely to impair 

 their vital powers. The only remedy hitherto 

 found effective is to cut a trench round the in- 

 fected plants, so as to stop the progress of its 

 spreading, as, like most other fungi, it radiates 

 from a centre ; and it might be quicklime, if 

 repeatedly applied, would arrest its progress, if 

 not destroy it altogether — few of the fungi re- 

 sisting its caustic effects. 



General remarks. — The only certain way of 

 improving this useful plant, is by carefully se- 

 lecting seed from the finest specimens, growing 

 them from their first stage to their last in highly 

 enriched soil, preserving the roots from injury, 

 and, above all, not cutting too severely. Sup- 

 port the seed-bearing stems during summer, 

 and when the seed is ripe in autumn, cut over 

 the stems and hang them up in a dry airy place 

 till spring, when they may be rubbed or thrashed 

 out of the berries and immediately sown. If for 

 sale, pick off the berries and wash out the seed, 

 allowing them to steep an hour or two in a tub 

 of water, to soften the outer covering. When 

 the seed is extracted, dry them thoroughly in 

 the sun, and bag them till wanted. It is proper 

 to remove the seed-bearing branches before any 

 of the seeds fall to the ground, to prevent them 

 taking possession of the beds and forming young 

 plants amongst the old ones, which causes con- 

 fusion and overcrowding. Asparagus seed will, 

 if kept properly, retain its vegetative properties 

 for fifteen or twenty years : it has been known 

 to have been kept longer, but as no advantage 

 can arise from this, seed of the preceding year's 



