254 



THE PRACTICAL GARDENER. 



beds to be ready on the appearance of frost wherewith to cover 

 the whole of them. They should be covered to the thickness 

 of a foot or fifteen inches, but this covering should be always 

 taken off, as soon as the frost is gone. By attending to this 

 particular, celery may be preserved throughout the winter. 



CAULIFLOWER-PLANTS. 



The cauliflower-plants which are in frames should have free 

 air admitted to them every fine day, by wholly removing the 

 glasses in the morning, but at the approach of night, they 

 should be again regularly covered. 



When the weather is very wet, it will be proper to keep the 

 plants covered w^ith the glasses, but, at the same time, to raise 

 them to such a height, as to admit the air to have fi*ee circu- 

 lation over the whole of the bed- 



Take way all dead leaves as soon as they appear on the 

 plants, and keep them entirely clean from every species of 

 weeds. 



The cauliflowers under bell or hand-glasses, require just the 

 same treatment as those in frames. It will be also of essential 

 service to them to draw the earth up a little round their stalks. 



Where cauliflower plants were neglected to be pricked out 

 last month, let it now be done as early in this month as pos- 

 sible. 



COVERING UP ASPARAGUS. 



Asparagus, being indigenous to many of our sea-shores, 16 

 not so tender, as to require protection in winter. It is seldom, 

 or never, that asparagus-roots are injured by frost. The prac- 

 tice of covering asparagus seems to be mistaken by many. 

 The real use of covering it in winter is, not so much to pro- 

 tect its roots, as to manure the ground. For this purpose, 

 therefore, good dung should be used, and not mere litter, or 

 leaves, which is the practice of some persons. Previously to 

 laying on the dung, the surface should be carefially forked up a 

 few inches deep to allow the juices of the dung to penetrate more 

 readily to the roots. Asparagus-roots yield a great bulk of 

 vegetable matter in the course of the season, therefore this 



