124 THE KITCHEN-GARDEN. [Feb. 
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 
drawing 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. 
Likewise observe, when the heat is on the decline, it will be very 
proper to lay a quantity of dry long litter round the sides of the 
bed, which will preserve a fine kindly growing heat, and will defend 
the bed from being chilled by heavy rains, snow, &c. 
In the next place when you find the heat of the bed beginning to 
decline considerably, you should prepare to renew it as soon as pos- 
sible: which is to be done by applying a lining of hot dung to the 
sides as for cucumber and melon beds. 
Fresh air must be admitted in fine weather daily, especially if the 
heat of the bed is strong when the buds begin to appear through 
this last covering of eanh; for fresh air is necessary both to give 
them colour, and prevent their drawing up too fast and weak: there- 
fore in fine sunny days, either tilt the upper ends of the lights an 
inch or two, or shove them a little down, as may be convenient; 
but keep them close in cold or very bad weather, and always on 
nights. 
Continue to cover the glasses every night especially after the 
plants appear, with mats or straw. 
The bed, if made and managed as above directed, will begin to 
produce asparagus abundantly in four or five weeks; and, provided 
the heat be kept up, will continue producing buds in great plenty 
for about three weeks. 
The method of gathering the asparagus in hot-beds is to thrust 
your finger down gently into the earth, and break the buds off close 
to the roots; but the cutting them with the knife, as practised in 
the natural ground, would, by reason of the buds coming up so very 
thick, destroy as many or more than you gather. 
When it is intended to have a constant supply of asparagus in 
the winter and spring seasons, till that in the natural ground comes 
in, you should make a new hot-bed every three weeks or a month. 
A quantity of fresh plants must also be procured for every new 
bed; for those which have been forced in a hot-bed, are not fit for 
any use afterwards, either in the natural ground, or elsewhere. 
