COMMONPLACE NOTES. 



851 



Another plan is to sow the seeds in rows at the distances already men- 

 tioned, and, when the seedlings have sufficiently advanced, thin them out 

 to 2 feet apart in the rows. For the first year a light mulch of strawy 

 manure is sufficient, which is best cleared away when the tops die down, 

 leaving the beds with no mulch on during the winter. In the following 

 spring, about the middle of March, a mulch of well-rotted farmyard 

 manure is of great assistance, as it supplies plant food and keeps the soil 

 moist and cool during the hot summer months. This is best removed 

 again in the autumn, as the Asparagus is perfectly hardy, and the cover- 

 ing of the beds for the winter with a more or less heavy mulch of manure 

 not only keeps the beds wet and cold, but there is a great loss of plant 

 food caused by the rain and melting snow carrying the salts contained in 

 the manure down below the reach of the roots or into the drains. While 

 in active growth the Asparagus enjoys a liberal diet, and, in addition to 

 occasional soakings of diluted liquid manure, a dressing of agricultural 

 salt at the rate of 3 oz. to the square yard, or 3 oz. of kainit on soil of a 

 light character, is very beneficial, applied about once every three weeks. 

 On heavy soils, 2 oz. basic slag, or 2 oz. fine bone meal, is excellent, also 

 applied every three weeks during June and July. 



Owing to Asparagus being such a favourite, or to the scarcity of other 

 vegetables, it very frequently happens that cutting of the young growths 

 is continued much too long and too late in the season. This is a great 

 ' mistake, and injures the beds very seriously. In the great majority of 

 cases the last week in June is quite late enough to continue cutting, and 

 by ceasing then the plants have time to make good growths, followed by 

 strong crowns which will produce excellent results the following year. 



The Beech-tree Pest. 



Since our last issue of the Journal we have received many specimens 

 of Gryptococciis fagi, with inquiry as to whether it is the pest alluded to 

 on p. 598, and in every instance this has proved to be the case. The 

 pest seems to be even more widely spread than we had imagined. One 

 Fellow, in a very interesting letter reporting the recent appearance of it 

 in Yorkshire, says : " I have noticed in every case here that the insects 

 first attack the roots just above the ground and spread upwards. I shall 

 therefore have this part of the trees well washed with soft soap, in the 

 hope of stopping the spread of the disease." We should be glad to know 

 whether anyone else has noticed this fact of the insects beginning at the 

 base and spreading upwards, as every atom of information we can get as 

 to their habits and life-history may help us the better to fight against 

 them. 



The same correspondent says : " We have some magnificent Copper 

 Beeches, but they so far are not afitected." There is an idea that the 

 pest does not attack the Copper Beech, and the only instance we have 

 heard of to the contrary is that quoted at the Scientific Committee by 

 Professor Henslow. Can anyone tell us of any other case of a Copper 

 Beech being affected ? 



Another correspondent suggests that the pest only attacks trees which 

 are already exhausted from the drought of the past ten years. But, alas ! 

 we know of it on many a young and vigorous tree. 



Q 2 



