QUERIES AND ANSWERS. 
487 
a small tuber, in February last, from a friend, I planted it whole in 
a pot, and put it into the vinery, until it had pushed, which it did 
slowly at 6 eyes. I then took it out of the pot, and cut it into 6 sets, 
planted them again in pots until May, when I planted them out on a 
vine border, where they soon began to grow vigorously, but through 
the course of the summer all the old plants have died, owing to the 
stem cankering by the surface of the ground. I have raised nearly 
300 plants from the tuber which I received, by striking them by 
cuttings, which they do most readily, and are all in a thriving state 
at present, but I am afraid they will not produce any tubers, us the 
two old plants show no signs of forming any young tubers. Now is 
it the nature of the plant, to be long in forming its tubers ? I have 
made several tarts of its branches, which are very tender, and resem¬ 
ble apples. G. E. J. 
How SHALL I BUILD A PlT FOR FORCING ASPARAGUS ? Being 
about to erect three pits for forcing Asparagus, and being rather at a 
loss to know upon what plan to proceed, I shall be much obliged to 
you for your advice, through the pages of your highly useful and in¬ 
structive Register, and if possible give a plan. I have never had the 
charge of forcing Asparagus upon any other plan than dung beds, 
with old plants, which has been in use for many years, after once 
forced destroying the bed and throwing the plants away. Now I want 
to know how to force the plants so as not to have them to throw away, 
so as 1 can force them year after year successively. What puzzles 
me most is this, how am I to protect the bed after the grass is all cut 
(beginning to cut at Christmas) so as to keep the plants in a healthy 
state, until I can expose the whole bed to the open air, which will be 
about the middle of April or beginning of May,—for I think if ex¬ 
posed much earlier, the plants may receive a check from which they 
may not recover through the whole summer, and consequently they 
would be unfit for forcing the winter following. Your early answer 
to the above will oblige. G. E. I. 
How SHALL I CULTIVATE GERANIUMS SUCCESSFULLY P Being 
an ardent admirer of flowers, but particularly Geraniums, when 
grown to perfection, and having tried in vain to succeed so well as I 
could wish, perhaps you will be kind enough to answer the following 
queries, in time for me to profit by them this season. I have tried 
the methods named in pages 102, and 517, Yol. I, of your Register, 
but cannot make either answer. The plants grow very strong, and 
appear very healthy, but show little or no disposition to flower, and 
when they do, the bloom is very weakly. I keep them all winter in 
a brick pit, and as dry as I possibly can. What time then should 
