510 



ASPARAGUS CULTURE. 



which are then to be dug up. The stakes, having become 

 useless^ are to be taken away. Lastly, the laying bare 

 of the roots is to be clone by taking away the earth, as 

 already directed, the dressing of decomposed manure placed 

 over them, and lastly, the manure is in its turn covered 

 with a couple of inches of the finely pulverized soil. 



''^ Thiud Year. — In the middle of the month of March, 

 during fine weather, small knolls, from six to eight inches 

 high, are to be made over each plant, taking nevertheless as 

 a basis the comparative strength of the crowns, more or less 

 large, or of a more or less determined development ; those 

 which may be too feeble, or having served the preceding 

 year to supply the bad ones, or those which had failed, are 

 to be covered over with a hillock of only four inches high, 

 and should then be left to themselves. From the other 

 plants, three, or at most four Asparagus heads may be 

 gathered ; but they are not to be cut off with an Asparagus 

 knife, but removed with the fingers. However, there is a 

 particular sort of knife, square-shaped at the end, and having 

 teeth on one side, forming a saw, which will be useful to 

 take away the earth about the stalk, and will make it easy 

 for the fingers to reach the subterranean stock, which care 

 must be taken not to injure. With regard to the gathering, 

 one finger must be got behind the Asparagus stem at its base, 

 and by bending it, it will easily come off the stock. In 

 this manner all injury to its neighbours, which may easily 

 happen with an Asparagus knife, will be avoided; and there 

 will not be left any wounded ends, from whiclj. the sap will 

 flow and spread around, occasioning rapid decay. Care 

 should be taken to close up the hole made for the gathering 

 of the Asparagus, and the knoll is at once to be formed 

 anew. In the month of April, the stakes are to be again 

 used, and the stems fastened to them in due time. After 

 having, in fine weather, done all that is necessary in the 

 way of cleaning, in the month of October the dry stalks are 

 to be cut oflF about ten inches above the ground, and the 

 dead rubbish thrown out of the Asparagus plantation. From 

 the whole surface of the trenches, and to a depth of four 

 inches, the earth is to be taken away and thrown upon the 



