OF ONE ACRE. 
173 
chives ; also parsley, and a collection of herbs, with¬ 
out which no garden is complete. 
The herbs are placed here because they require a soil 
especially prepared for them, by the addition of either 
fine sand or sifted coal ashes, to make it mellow and 
dry. 
ASPARAGUS. 
Asparagus, one of the best and earliest of spring 
vegetables, would be in universal use, but for the 
prevalent though erroneous idea that it is difficult 
to grow. Being a gross feeder, the soil can scarcely 
be too rich. Although the process of deep trenching 
is now being discarded, yet, to attain the best result 
it is necessary that a large quantity of rotted manure 
be worked into the bed, to a depth of at least 18 inches. 
Instead of losing two years’ time by raising plants 
from seed, send and get strong two-year old plants 
early in spring. Set these in the prepared bed, 18 
inches apart each way, and about six inches deep. 
Give frequent and thorough cultivation, and as soon 
as the tops are ripe in fall, cut off and burn them, to 
prevent the nuisance of seedling asparagus about 
the garden. Next spring, and for at least fifteen 
years after, the bed should give a full crop, and 
should have a heavy dressing of manure put on each 
fall, which should be spaded in before the shoots 
appear in spring, together with a sprinkling of three 
pints of salt per square rod. 
To facilitate gathering, make the bed of such a 
width as that the ce&tre can be reached from both 
