OPENING ADDRESS BY THE CHAIRMAN. 



11 



and through them to their absent brethren, to support its authority, 

 which, when exercised in this way, is exercised for the common 

 benefit of all ; and I venture to think that everyone present to- 

 day will quite agree with me that the objects for which we are now 

 particularly met together — that is to say, " the promotion of the 

 profitable cultivation, uses, and improvement of all kinds of roots, 

 tubers, bulbs, leaves, flowers and seeds, by the reading of papers, 

 discussion of propositions, and demonstrations of practice, and 

 to bring together, for the purpose of reciprocal information and 

 fellowship, all those interested in the growth of vegetables " — are 

 objects worthy of such a Society. 



ASPAKAGUS ON HEAVY LAND AND ASPARAGUS FOR 

 THE TABLE IN AUTUMN. 



By Mr. Shirley Hibberd, F.R.H.S. 



On the history and cultivation of Asparagus in a general way 

 I shall at this time have nothing to say. And what I propose to 

 say is germane to myself in the first instance ; but it may have 

 some practical bearing, for it is simply a record of practice, which 

 I shall preface by giving a reason why. 



At a time when I occupied a clay land, mostly in grass, and 

 requiring for gardening purposes to be tamed from a condition of 

 stolid savagery, there arose a demand for Asparagus, not as a 

 luxury or occasional feast in spring, but as a necessity, and to be 

 in use for the table through as long a season as possible — that is, 

 if possible, all the year round. The land was almost as unfit for 

 Asparagus as an equal area of granite, for the clay was like flint, 

 and required years of cultivation to fit it for such a purpose. 

 The rule adopted for the majority of crops was to break up the 

 grass, and turn the top spit down, with a heavy layer of fat stable 

 manure upon it, and then turn over the next spit upon that. 

 The land was then made up into ridges with stable dung between 

 two surfaces of turf. But Asparagus and Potatoes were grown 

 above the clay in earth partly or wholly made for the purpose, 

 the procedure being as follows : 



It was found an easy matter to secure any quantity of lime 

 rubbish from buildings in process of demolition. The business 



