KITCHEN-GARDEN VEGETABLES. 
399 
two handfuls of well-decomposed manure, and 
finally with an inch of soil, making a little 
hillock an inch high over each stool, and putting 
in a stick to mark the place of the plants, and 
prevent injury to the roots in hoeing. 
In October the stalks are cut off at 6 inches 
from the surface,, the surface cleaned, the ridges 
dug a foot deep, and the plants manured. The 
roots having been carefully uncovered with a 
hoe over a circle 8 inches in diameter, one or 
two handfuls of well-decayed dung are placed 
over every crown, and covered with about 3 
inches of light soil, raising a hillock 2 inches 
high over each, and marking any vacant places 
with a small stick. 
In the second year the failures are replaced 
in March or April, using strong one-year-old 
plants, and stakes 3 feet long are pushed in 
slantwise at an angle of 45° near each plant. 
The ground is hoed at the beginning of April, 
and as soon as the shoots are large enough they 
are tied to the stakes to prevent breakage by 
wind. In October the withered stalks are cut off 
8 inches above the ground, the ridges manured 
and dug over, and the stakes removed. The 
crowns are uncovered down to the manure, the 
soil about them loosened by the hand, and two 
inches of soil put on, always forming if into a 
conical mound. 
In the third year, about the middle of March, 
mounds from 6 to 8 inches high are formed 
over each crown, according to its strength, but 
the plants used to fill up blanks are only covered 
4 inches deep, and are afterwards left alone. 
In taking the shoots for use they are removed 
with the fingers so as to avoid injuring the stool, 
an asparagus knife only being used, if at all, to 
remove the earth and trace out the base of the 
shoot. The shoots are taken when 2 inches 
above-ground, by passing one finger behind 
their base, and, by pressing the shoot aside, it 
is easily detached. The soil is then returned. 
At most only three or four shoots are taken 
from each stool. In April, stakes 4 feet 3 inches 
long are put in, and the stalks tied to them, 
and in October the withered stems are cut over 
10 inches above the surface, and cleared entirely 
away, the ground cleaned, and a good dressing 
of manure given. In doing this the soil of the 
trenches is entirely cleared out to the depth of 
4 inches, casting it on the ridges; it is replaced 
with half that depth of well-rotted dung, the 
withered stems are shortened, except one, which 
is left to show the position of the stool, and, 
after digging the ridges, the manure is covered 
with about 1J inch of soil, at the same time 
raising a mound of 3 inches high over each 
crown, and marking with a stick any that are 
weak. 
In the fourth year, mounds 10 or 12 inches 
high are formed over each plant, but the weak 
stools marked in the previous autumn are only 
covered half that depth. In May, when the ridges 
are hoed, some earth is drawn into the trenches, 
and stakes 4 feet 9 inches high are put in. In 
October the stems are cut over at 14 inches 
above the ground, the ridges are manured and 
dug, the mounds in the trenches levelled, the 
soil in the trenches thrown out as in the pre¬ 
vious year, some handfuls of well-decayed 
manure placed over the crowns, and mounds 
3 inches high raised over them. 
In the fifth year the mounds are raised in 
March to about 14 inches high. The whole of 
the shoots of the strong stools are taken for use, 
but only a few from those which are. weak. The 
shoots are removed for about two months daily, 
every second day, or every third day at most, 
according to the temperature, and when showing 
about 2 inches above ground, and of a red or 
violet colour. The plants are staked and securely 
tied, and in October the stems are cut over, the 
soil of the mounds thrown on the ridges, the 
trenches manured as in the third year, the 
ridges dug, and the manure covered. 
In the sixth year the Asparagus will be in 
full production; it is mounded up 14 inches 
high from the crown, and the autumn treatment 
is the same as in the fourth year. 
Cutting the Stems .—In doing this a little of 
the soil is taken from beside the shoot Avith the 
Asparagus knife, which is then pushed down, 
but so as not to endanger the crown, or other 
shoots that may be pushing up, then turning 
Fig. 1153.—Asparagus Knife. 
the edge of the knife towards the shoot, the 
latter is cut, or rather saAvecl off. It is the 
practice near London to cut off all the shoots as 
they appear, up to the period Avhen it is thought 
proper to leave off cutting altogether; the period 
for doing this depending on the climate, season, 
nature of the soil, and strength of the plants. 
Where the climate is good, or when the season 
is an early one, cutting must commence early; 
and of course, in that case, it ought not to be 
continued late, othenvise the plants Avill be 
Aveakened. When green Peas can be had, 
Asparagus is less required; so that, in the south¬ 
ern parts of the kingdom, the cutting may cease 
