February 28.] 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
THE KITCIIEH-GARDEN. 
Asparagus Reds or plantations, not already sur¬ 
face forked, should be attended to at the earliest 
favourable opportunity; and the soil should be hand 
scarified, in order to get it in a well pulverized con¬ 
dition, without which the young shoots will not only ! 
be longer finding their way through the surface soil, 
but may also, in consequence, grow crippled and 
crooked. In showery weather sow broadcast, in 
quantities, little and often, some common salt. This 
recommendation also applies to the ground which i 
may be preparing for new plantations. Some years 
ago it was customary, at this season, to commence i 
the casing or earthing-up of the asparagus beds (as 
they were then termed) to a considerable depth. The 
asparagus in those days being generally planted in 
four-feet beds, three or four rows of plants in a bed, 
and an alley between each from two to three feet 
wide, with a stake at each corner not only to mark 
the boundary, but also as a guide by which to cut 
out the allies at this earthing-up season. The beds 
were thus laid up high and dry by such practice. The 
shoots that found their way through such a mass of 
surface-earth could becutlong, and blanched, though 
the plants were at the same time, in a dry season, 
much punished and exhausted; and the beds, at the 
time they were expected to be the most productive, 
were often found to have given way—subject only to 
blight and disease. 
As the planting season is now fast approaching, it 
may not be amiss to state our own system and suc¬ 
cess in the culture of asparagus for many years past. 
In the first place, we choose out our ground in winter, 
to be well trenched into ridges, applying at the same 
time a liberal quantity of manure, if it can be af¬ 
forded; but this is not of so much consequence at 
the trenching time as is the thorough performance 
of the latter operation. And every suitable occasion 
should be taken between the well trenching of the 
soil and the planting season to well fork, scarify, and 
expose the soil as much as possible to the influence 
of the sun, wind, and frost; at the same time, if it is 
possible to command it, strew salt, little and often, 
over the ground, and apply manure of the best 
quality pretty liberally as well. 
Asparagus is a most wholesome vegetable, and is 
well appreciated by all who have been fortunate 
enough to obtain it of first-rate quality; to produce 
which in abundance a good preparation is oi course 
necessary. The soil must be selected of the best 
kind, and thorough drainage secured. The ground 
must be thoroughly trenched and subsoiled, abund¬ 
ance of manure methodically applied, and the whole 
well incorporated together by often forking and turn¬ 
ing—not when wet weather prevails, but on dry or 
frosty days. And, instead of planting four rows on 
a four-feet bed (if plants are not required for forcing 
every year), plant in rows on the surface oi the 
soil, four feet apart, and one foot from plant to ! 
plant. Hoe and scarify the earth’s surface frequently 
throughout the summer and favourable part of the 
year, adding every season a good portion of salt and 
other stimulants, and the amount of production from , 
a few rows of plants will be found astonishing. If 
a quantity is required yearly for forcing, plant two 
feet apart from row to row, To stand for two years, 
when every alternate row should be taken up as re¬ 
quired; at the same time the young plantation 
should not be planted till the plants in the seed-bed 
have made shoots from one to four inches long, which 
is generally from the middle of March to the middle 
291 
of April, taking the variation of the different parts of 
the country. 
The forced asparagus will require at this season 
to be pretty liberally supplied with tepid water and 
liquid manure, with salt added; and also to be well 
aired, and lightly covered. 
Capsicums and Chillies should now be sown in 
heat, and the plants, as soon as up, pricked into pans 
or pots; one inch apart, and placed close to the glass 
to prevent their drawing up weakly. 
Dwarf Kidney Beans may now be sown, or first 
raised and transplanted to great advantage on well- 
prepared hotbeds, with the surface covered to the 
depth of eight inches, or thereabouts, with old cucum¬ 
ber or melon soil. The asparagus forcing-beds, when 
cutting is over, are in this way generally turned to 
much account with us. We add a small quantity of 
well-wrought fermenting materials, forking over and 
well incorporating it all together, whereby a kindly 
heat is at once secured; and we take care that about 
1 foot or 15 inches space is secured for the beans to 
make their growth in, when the bed has finished 
sinking between the surface of the soil and the glass, 
if the preparation is made under frames, which may 
also, at any time, be raised as required. Immense 
crops of beans may thus be obtained at a season 
when there is not much choice of the superior kinds 
of out-of-door vegetables. A good crop of beans 
may thus be taken, and the frame or pit may be 
afterwards cleared, in due season, to insure a good 
summer crop of melons or cucumbers. If common 
frames and lights are used, they may be lifted off 
altogether in May, when the weather has become 
mild, and the beans protected slightly with hoops and 
mats, or any other temporary covering. 
Potatoes. —The present is also a good season for 
placing a quantity of early ash-leaved, or early frame 
potatoes, on a little old tan or leaf-mould inside the 
front part of cucumber or melon structures, or any 
other place which has the command of a good bottom- 
heat, to sprout or shoot in readiness for transplanting 
under temporary coverings, on a slight hotbed. We 
get, by such management, very fine crops of early 
potatoes, to succeed the first frame-grown ones. Our 
system is to choose our ground where Brussels 
sprouts, savoys, or the early kinds of brocolies have 
been taken. We mark out a five-feet bed, cast out a 
trench one foot deep, right and left; place into this 
trench any kind of available refuse we may have at 
hand, and a small portion of fermenting materials, 
as much as can be spared. We then immediately 
cast back over again about six inches of the soil, to 
transplant the potatoes in, and the rest is formed 
round as sheltering banks for protection from the 
wind on which a turf scantling, rough boards, or poles 
are placed, so as to carry across pieces of other poles 
or stakes, to keep up the temporary covering from 
the growing potatoes at night. When the crop of 
potatoes from this same preparation is taken up, the 
ground is in good condition for planting at once a 
crop of celery, French beans, or cauliflowers. 
Surface stirring generally, on all occasions, and 
amongst all kinds of crops, must bo well attended to; 
and the ground intended for onions, parsnips, and 
carrots be kept constantly forked and scarified, so 
as to insure its being well pulverized. 
James Barnes. 
