ASPARAGUS CULTURE. 



511 



ridges; this earth is to be substituted by a layer of very 

 good manure,, which layer is to be of a thickness of about 

 an inch and a half^ if night soil is made use of^ or of about 

 two inches if it is only common manure. At the same 

 time a portion of the end of the old stalks is to be taken 

 away^ preserving that nearest to the crown^ so as to indicate 

 the exact site of the plants for the fourth year. After 

 having spread the manure^ the ridges must be dug up^ and 

 the manure covered with an inch or two of earth from 

 them^ a small hillock being left over the crown of each plant. 



" Fourth Year. — About the middle of March, in dry 

 weather^ or the day after a sprinkling of rain, knolls of the 

 height of from ten to twelve inches must be formed over 

 each plant with the fine earth from the sides of the ridges. 

 The feeble plants marked with a small stick at the pre- 

 ceding laying bare, are to be covered over with hillocks of 

 a thickness of from four to six inches only. While earthing 

 up the Asparagus the ends of the dry stalks are to be taken 

 away. The gathering is to take place from the largest speci- 

 mens during one month at the most. Then they are to be 

 left to run to seed. The most feeble ones are to be spared 

 in order to strengthen them. At the second dressing in the 

 month of May, earth is taken from the shelving beds, in order 

 to cover over, to an extent of an inch or two^ the whole surface 

 of the grounds, so as to protect the Asparagus plantation from 

 the dryness of the summer. The stakes should be five feet 

 high. In the month of October the stalks of the Asparagus 

 are to be cut off at fourteen inches above the ground^ and 

 the plantation is to be cleared of the rubbish ; manure is to 

 be spread on the ridges^ which are to be made up from the 

 knolls in the trenches ; and are then to be dug up to a 

 depth of sixteen inches. Notwithstanding the manure laid 

 upon the shelving beds, the roots of the Asparagus are to 

 be laid carefully bare in the manner already described. 

 Upon the crowns are to be put a few handfuls of good 

 manure, which is to be covered over with two inches of 

 good mellow earth ; the little knolls which are to be formed 

 over the centre of the plants, are to be over three inches in 

 height. 



