Oct] 



THE CULINARY GARDEN. 



249 



should be formed full and straight, and the bottoms of the 

 trenches be made level and smooth. 



If it be intended to manure the beds at this time, let a suffi- 

 cient quantity of rotten dung and fresh rich loamy earth be 

 prepared, by being well mixed and incorporated, with which 

 to top-dress the beds, and which should be laid on them to the 

 thickness of two inches, and over this should be laid an inch 

 in thickness over the beds, of mould taken from the alleys be- 

 tween them. 



Or a quantity of good rotten dung may be procured, such 

 as is taken from old cucumber or melon-beds, and this should 

 be spread over the asparagus-beds, as soon as the stems and 

 weeds are cleared away. The dung should be well broken 

 and laid on of an equal thickness, after which dig the alleys, 

 and lay a small quantity of the earth over the dung. 



The beds being thus prepared, plant in each alley a row of 

 colewort or cabbage-plants, at about ei^ht or nine inches apart 

 in the rows. These plants often survive the winter in the 

 severest frosts, when all those have been destroyed which were 

 planted on a level spot. If it be preferred, a row of early 

 garden-beans may be planted in each alley. 



ASPARAGUS FOR FORCING. 



Asparagus-plants which are intended for forcing, should 

 also now be cut down, the weeds drawn into the alleys as 

 directed before ; bury the weeds, and as you proceed throw a 

 little mould over the beds. 



Those plants, however, which are intended for forcing this 

 winter, need only have the stalks cut away, and covered with 

 leaves or long dry litter, to enable them to be taken up in 

 time of frost. 



SEEDLING ASPARAGUS. 



Seedling asparagus-plants, which were sown last spring, 

 should at this time also have a little top-dressing, such as clear- 

 ing the bed from weeds, laying a little rotten dung over it, &c. 



2 K 



