in FI. Devon. — Dorset ; Very common on t lie Chesil Bank; on the shores and 
marshes at Poole Harbour; and especially about the North Haven Sandbanks: 
Ur. Pulteney. Near the Ferry, and extremity of Portland Island : D. Turner, 
Esq. in B. G. Near Weymouth : Mr. Lambert.— Essex; About Harwich: 
Ray. — Gloucestersh. In the Marshes below Bristol : Merkett, in Pin. p. 11. 
lu the salt marshes below King’s Weston, near Britol : Dr. Stokes. Marshes 
near Thombury : Mr. Dyfr. Sea Mills: Miss Worsley, in N. B. G.-* Hants ; 
At Christ Church; and Freshwater, Isle of Wight: Dr. Pulteney. — Kent ; 
By the Thames near Gravesend: Mr. J. Siierard, in Ray's Syn. — Lincolnsh. 
In the rich Meadows near Holbeach, Long Sutton, & c.: Sir J. Banks, in B. G. 
Cliff near Hemsvvell, Spinal : Land. FI . — Norfolk; Butgh, near Beccles : Mr. 
Woodward, in B. G. Sea-shore, opposite the Monument: Mr. Woodward, 
in N. B. G. — Somersetsh. In marshes below Look’s Folly, two miles from 
Bristol: Mr. Newton, in Ray's Syn. Sand banks at Steart and Burnham, 
from 3 to 5 feet high, when in blossom: N. B. G. — Surrey ; Near the Mill, 
Waddon; probably not wild : Land. FI. — WALLS. Anglesea ; On a sandy 
hillock below Llanfelog: Rev. H. Davies. — Glamorgansh. Meadows between 
Cowbridge and the sea; and about Cardiff: Dr. Turton. — SCOTLAND. 
Haddingtonsh. Links near Gosford : Mr. E. Mauchan, in FI. Edin. 
Perennial. — Flowers in July. 
Root somewhat creeping, with long, stout, fleshy fibres; the 
crown densely scaly. Stems annual, upright, round, smooth, stiff, 
naked and scaly below ; much branched, and leafy above ; from a 
foot to 1 8 inches high in a wild state, in a cultivated one much 
higher. Leaves tufted, small, bright green, bristle-shaped, pointed, 
smooth. Stipulas solitary, membranous, spear-shaped, sometimes 
with 2 smaller ones within, the uppermost short and torn. Flowers 
axillary, 2 or 3 together, bell-shaped, drooping, yellowish-green ; 
each on a slender, jointed, drooping peduncle. Style very short. 
Berries globular, bright scarlet, about the size of currants, not eat- 
able. Seeds black. Plants sometimes dioecious, or even polyga- 
mous. A variety, in which the foliage is procumbent, is described 
by Dillenius in Ray's Synopsis, as growing on the sandy banks 
by the sea-side between Langwyfan and Llanfaelog ; and also below 
Look’s Folly, two miles from Bristol. It has been observed since, 
in the former station, by the Rev. H. Davies. 
Asparagus is a native of most other parts of Europe as well as of 
England, and also of Japan. In that excellent and most useful 
work of Mr. Loudon’s, the Encyclopaedia of Gardening, we are 
informed, that “ many of the steppes in the south of Russia and 
Poland are covered with this plant, which is there eaten by the 
horses and oxen as grass.” It is much cultivated, especially about 
London, for the sake of the young sprouting stems, which are uni- 
versally esteemed for their flavour and nutritious qualities. It is 
principally served to table on a toast, or ragou’d. It also makes an 
excellent soup, and is often cut small and sent to table as a sub- 
stitute for green peas. 
A very pretty little insect of the Beetle kind, Chrysomela Aspa- 
ragi, feeds upon the plant. 
