Mar.] 



THE CULINARY GARDEN. 



109 



Beds made in this manner," he says, "are found to answer 

 well, and last ibr many years." 



In Germany, asparagus-beds are made to last a considerable 

 time, by being well trenched and manured at bottom with 

 bone, horn, chips of wood, or branches of trees, a foot thick. 

 Bones and horn will be a long time in decaying, and will, 

 consequently, give out a gradual and lasting food for the roots 

 of the plants. The ground intended for new beds should have 

 a large supply of rotten or other good dung laid several inches 

 thick ; it should then be regularly trenched two or three feet, 

 and the dung buried equally in each trench as the process 

 goes on. 



The ground being made level, divide it into beds four feet 

 and a half wide, with alleys two feet wide between bed and bed. 



Four rows of asparagus should be planted in each bed, and 

 ten or twelve inches distance to be allowed between plant and 

 plant in the row ; letting the outside rows of each bed be nine 

 inches from the edge ; or they may be planted only in single 

 rows, two feet and a half apart, or in narrow beds containing 

 two rows of roots only. By this means, a greater facility will 

 be acquired in gathering the crop, without being obliged to 

 tread on the beds. 



Let it be observed, that the plants for this plantation consist 

 entirely of roots, not more than two years old; some gardeners 

 prefer those that are only one year, as they generally take root 

 much freer, and succeed every way better than two-year old 

 plants. It is of very great importance for ensuring success in the 

 planting of asparagus, to lift the roots carefully, and to expose 

 them to the air as short a time as possible. While planting, 

 therefore, it would be proper to keep the roots in a hamper or 

 basket among a little light earth, and covered with a mat. 

 No plant feels an injury in the root more keenly than aspa- 

 ragus ; the roots are very brittle, and when once broken, do 

 not readily shoot again. 



Method of planting them. 



Strain the line parallel with the beds, nine inches from the 

 edge : then with a spade cut out a small trench or drill close 

 to the line, about six inches deep, making that side next the 

 line nearly upright ; and when one trench Is opened, plant that 



