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JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



grown naturally, about the middle of April, and continues for some six or 

 seven weeks, after which it is necessary to allow all growths to remain, in 

 order to recuperate the strength of the plant. Beds will continue to yield 

 wi ll up to a great age if kept clear of weeds, and manured as required. 

 1 remember seeing some in Scotland that were over a hundred years old, 

 and were still doing well. These were planted by a gardener named 

 Adam, and visitors were sometimes made acquainted with this fact by the 

 master calling out to the gardener, "How old is this Asparagus bed? " 

 the answer was, "I don't know, my lord, but Adam planted it." If the 

 roots are to be lifted for forcing, I prefer those of a moderate age, as they 

 ran be packed closer together in the frames, and are more vigorous. It is 

 a good plan to make one or two new beds every year, and to lift the same 

 quantity for forcing. I prefer planting on the level to the raised beds 

 which were formerly used. A coating of manure in autumn is not 

 necessary, and I have for some years discontinued that system in favour 

 of mineral manures, applied in the spring ; the beds are thus left fully 

 exposed all the winter. From October to January the pits or frames used 

 for forcing should have hot-water pipes round them, as well as fermenting 

 material underneath ; after this time an ordinary hotbed is sufficient. 

 There is not much difference in the so-called varieties, for the size of the 

 shoots depends largely upon the amount of food the plant can get, but 

 selection has also some amount of influence ; the 1 Early Purple Argen- 

 teuil ' comes into use a few days before the ordinary variety. A tradition 

 has long been prevalent in gardens that two-year-old plants are better 

 than three-year-old for planting new beds. I have this year tested this, 

 and find the two-year-old have grown almost twice as strongly as the 

 three years ; tradition is right in this instance. 



Beans, Broad (Vicia Faba).^This vegetable is not much in demand in 

 private gardens, except for supplying the servants' hall; in the South of 

 England it is often sown in November to stand through the winter, and 

 by making successional sowings in spring it may be had, if required, from 

 May to November. The points of the plants should always be picked off 

 as soon as the flowers commence to open : a much better crop is obtained 

 in this way. Autumn sowing does not make much difference in the 

 earliness of the crop. At Tandridge, in Surrey, the 'Mazagan' variety, 

 sown January 2, 1878, was ready for use on July 1, and ' Harlington 

 Windsor,' sown May 7, 1878, was ready for use July 10. AtKetton Hall, 

 Rutland, 'Johnston's Wonderful,' sown November 3, 1886, was ready 

 July G, 1887; and the same variety sown April 4, 1887, was ready 

 July 10. 



Beans, Kidney or French (Phaseolus vulgaris). — Where suitable 

 68 arc available for the winter supply, this vegetable may be had 

 throughout the year. A minimum temperature of 60° is necessary during 

 the winter, and a house facing south, where it can get the full benefit of 

 the sunlight. After March is over this is not so important, and succes- 

 sion erope may be sown in frames to keep up the supply, until the early 

 crops are ready outside. At Belvoir it is not safe to sow outdoors until 

 early in May, and these must be on a south aspect. They are ready for 

 08C early in August, but in more favourable districts they maybe sown 

 much earlier and do not take so long to mature. Sowings should be 



