122 THE KITCHEN GARDEN. [Feb. 
Or you may on the approach of severe frosts, take up a sufficient 
quantity with as little injury to the roots as possible, which may be 
planted in sand or dry earth in a warm cellar, in the same manner 
as directed for planting them in the frame, covering their crowns 
about an inch, observing not to crowd the plants for fear of their 
becoming mouldy; and in mild weather ventilate the cellar as often 
as possible, to prevent any bad eft'ect to the roots from stagnant air: 
but when it can be done, it will be much better to take up the plants 
out of their beds according as you want them. 
The necessary quantity for a three light frame is from three to 
four hundred plants, and so in proportion for any number of frames; 
the plants in such beds ought to be set very close, in order that by 
having as many as possible in each frame, they may produce a pro- 
portionable supply to recompense sufficiently for the trouble and 
expense of forcing them. 
A bed for this purpose is to be made in like manner as those 
directed for cucumbers in pages 12 and 13, but very substantial; 
then put on the frame, and earth it all over six or seven inches deep, 
for the immediate reception of the plants. 
The bed being made and earthed as above, and a sufficient quantity 
of plants in readiness, proceed to planting by raising at one end a 
small ridge of earth about three or four inches high, against which 
place a row of plants close to one another, drawing some earth to 
the bottom of the roots, then place others against these in the 
same manner, and so continue until the frame is full, all having 
their tops or crowns upright and of an equal level. When the 
whole bed is thus planted, cover the crowns of the roots all over 
with light rich earth, about two inches deep, which concludes the 
work for the present. 
You may now put on the lights, which are to be kept open, 
raised high behind, or slided down every day, except in very severe 
weather, but at night let them be closed: give all the air possible so 
that you do not sutler the earth in the bed to be frozen or chilled, 
by rain or snow, till the buds begin to appear, when you are to give 
them another covering of three or four inches of the same kind of 
mould as before, so that the crowns may be covered in the whole 
about six inches deep. 
But it must be remarked that for the first week or fortnight 
after the bed is made and the asparagus planted, that the state of 
its warmth should be every day carefully examined; for that pur- 
pose thrust two or three sharp pointed sticks down betwixt the 
roots into the dung in different parts of the bed; when upon draw- 
ing up the sticks once or twice a day, and feeling the lower ends, 
you can readily judge of the degree of heat, which if found very 
violent, threatening to burn the earth and scorch the roots of the 
plants, it must be moderated by boring with a long thick stake 
several wide holes in the dung on each side of the bed, also in the 
earth just under the roots^ to admit the air, and to let the rank 
steam and burning quality of the dung pass off" more freely; but 
when the heat is become moderate, the holes must be closed again. 
