ASPARAGUS CULTURE. 



507 



site of tlie first half-shelviiig bed. Reckoning from the inte- 

 rior base of this half-sbelving bed_, a distance of twenty -four 

 inches is to be measured for the first trench. The earth 

 taken from it will serve to form the shelving bed. The 

 second shelving bed, which will 

 be a large one;, is to measure 

 twenty-eight inches in width at 

 its basC; and fourteen inches in 

 height. Next comes the second 

 trench, then the third entire 

 shelving bed, and so on, until the 

 whole piece of ground has been 

 occupied. Thus, the first half- 

 shelving bed will measure in 

 width fourteen inches, and 

 in height eight inches ; the 

 first trench in width twenty 

 four inches, the second en- 

 tire shelving bed in width 

 twenty-eight inches, and in 

 height fourteen inches, &c., as 

 shown in the accompanyingfigure. 

 The earth of the shelving beds 

 being intended to cover over the 

 plants from time to time, these 

 beds will gradually diminish in 

 height, and the whole piece of 

 ground will become nearly level 

 at the end of five years, when 

 the Asparagus plantation will be 

 in full productiveness.'''' [In 

 justice to the extensive market 

 grower and successful prizetaker 

 who thus describes his culture, 

 we are bound to respect his dia- 

 gram ; but a readier and less precise method is more gene- 

 rally pursued, such as that indicated by Fig. 296, roughly 

 drawn from memory.] 



" First Year. — The first plantation is to take place during 



