378 
THE GARDENING WORLD . 
June 8, 1907. 
- Asparagus. - 
Cultivation. 
During the past 40 years I have seen 
many methods in the cultivation of this 
undoubtedly one of the best vegetables, 
and have also seen many errors both by 
myself and others. It is often said we buy 
our knowledge and obtain our best lessons 
by our failures. 
Now the Asparagus season is with us I 
am induced to point out a few errors many 
make in growing this. Undoubtedly the 
most frequent is that of cutting it too se¬ 
verely. Some may say, “How much and 
how long may I cut.” But no hard and 
fast line can be made. To' illustrate this 
is only to say it all depends on the age 
and strength of the plants. Generally I 
cut my own grass, which often takes from 
one to two hours, simply because by so 
doing 1 can then study the strength of 
each plant, and then cut accordingly. 
Where the plants are strong, then the 
cutting is continued longer. The time to 
discontinue cutting depends on when it 
was commenced. 
Another error is that of removing all 
the big and strong growth, leaving only 
the weak ones. I am convinced this is 
very unwise, and have proved it many 
times by comparison on the same row of 
plants. All growth may be cut at first on 
strong crowns ; but where otherwise I 
would leave a few of the small growths, 
and if very weak, not cut from a root at 
all. My rule is to allow one or two strong 
growths to remain some time before I dis¬ 
continue cutting. Where growths come 
up after and give indications .of being 
crowded, I thin them out. 
If cultivators would but give thought to 
how this plant grows naturally they would 
not go on cutting, as some do, as long 
as possible, and then he disappointed the 
ne'xt vear bv its weak growth. 
For years I have been experimenting on 
single plants standing alone in various 
positions, allowing them to get very strong 
and then put them to the test of severe 
cutting, and have proved its error. By 
continued cutting you keep the root action 
weak, and I have often noticed the amount 
of grass you may cut from roots being 
forced before any root action is made. 
One cannot expect root action to be 
very rapid in the ground two feet deep in 
May. 
Equally bad is that of allowing the 
growths to be damaged by wind. One has 
often seen people pay no regard to this, 
allowing strong : growths to be blown quite 
off at the ground line. Sometimes this hap¬ 
pens when there may be only one strong 
growth to a young plant. Only think of 
the check this must be to the root ! I have 
noticed when this occurs, if a growth does 
come up again, it is very weak, and the 
following spring is equally so. Regarding 
protection, this must be done according 
to position and means at command. We 
use spray Pea stakes, tying any strong 
growths to them. In other cases we put 
two strings along the rows, supporting 
them bv tying them to upright stakes and 
tying all the growths that need it to the 
strings. 
Opinions differ concerning manuring. 
I have oome to regard the method of heap¬ 
ing large quantities of manure on the 
crowns in early winter as a big mistake. 
I fail to see by so doing the advantages. 
Where this is done on the approach of 
winter, where is the strength of the manure 
gone by May? Often out of reach of the 
roots. It may do if it could be applied 
six weeks before the g'rowth turns colour. 
During the past six years I applied a coat¬ 
ing of rotten manure about January, al¬ 
lowing that which has not worked into the 
ground to remain on during the next sum¬ 
mer as a mulching, to great advantage. 
Feeding with liquids or by using a quickly 
soluble manure in stormy weather, when 
growth is active, is by far the best way 
to manure. CON. 
-- 
High Price for Orchids. 
During the three days’ sale of Orchids 
belonging to the late Sir F rederick 
Wigan, Bart., of Clare Lawn, East Sheen, 
by Messrs. Protheroe and Morris, three 
specimens of Miltonia vexillaria Memoria 
G. D. Owen realised 1,310 guineas, or 
2g37S- 
- G. W. - 
Prize Competitions. 
GENERAL CONDITIONS.— Competitors must 
write on one side of the paper only. Regular 
paid contributors to THE GARDENING 
WORLD or other gardening journals are de¬ 
barred from entering, but occasional con¬ 
tributors may compete. The name and ad¬ 
dress of the competitor must appear on each 
article sent for competition. The Editor’s 
decision is final, and he reserves the right 
to reproduce, in any way,1 any article or photo¬ 
graph sent for competition. The conditions 
applying to each competition should be care¬ 
fully read. 
WEEKLY 
PRIZES. 
A PRIZE OF TEN SHILLINGS will be given 
for the best paragraph or short article on any 
gardening subject, such as hints of practical 
interest to gardeners, notes on the propaga¬ 
tion or cultivation of flowers, fruits or vege¬ 
tables, eradication of pests, etc. The para¬ 
graph or article must not exceed a column, but 
value rather than length will be considered in 
making *’ue award. Mark envelopes “ Com¬ 
petition,” and post not later than the Monday 
folk wing date of issue. Entries received later 
thin Tuesday (first post) will be left over until 
the following week. 
Two prizes of 2s. 6d. will be awarded each 
week for the two best letters, not exceeding 
150 words, on any interesting gardening sub¬ 
ject. 
+++ 
RESULTS OF 
LAST WEEK’S 
COMPETITIONS. 
Some of the best papers in this competition 
are too long, and we desire readers to keep 
within a column. 
The prize in the Readers’ Competition was 
awarded to “ E. B. Anderson ” for the article 
on “Among the Alpines,” page 362. 
In the Prize Letter Competition a prize was 
awarded to “ H. R.” for the article on 
“ Watercress during Summer ” ; and another 
to “G. Waller” for the article on “Wall- 
towers,” page 361. 
A Chat About 
Herbaceous 
[Mr. -» Borders 
By far the best effect is produced if th 
border is 12 or 16 feet wide with a straigh 
line, of plants down through the centre 
This splits it into two borders with an eat 
and west aspect respectively. A good wa 
of planting the centre line to make it effet 
tive from June till late autumn is to altei 
nate Pampas Grass, Crown Imperial: 
Tritoma nobilis and Lilium candidun 
Pampas Grass (Cortaderia argentea) is nc 
as a rule recommended for herbaceoi 
borders, but for a dividing line for lat 
effect, 1 know of no plant to beat it, and 1 
the summer it does not interfere with tb 
view of the other plants in the same lir 
when looking from either end. Other plan 
for the centre line are Eremuri, De 
phinium, Spiraea Aruncus, Bocconia to 
data, Helianthus Miss Mellish, Bolton 
grandiflora, Chrysanthemum maximun 
C. uliginosum and Asters, Top Sawye 
for example. Varieties of these should 1 
chosen with the habit of this one. T 1 
worthless plants often seen are of no a 
for this position. Irregular planting 
avoid formality may be overdone, ba< 
lines should always be straight, and I ha 
given my reasons for a central straig 
line. The other plants in the border m: 
be disposed according to individual tast 
either as single specimens staked out 
in clumps with the exception of the fro 
or early flowering part of the bordt 
These are usually plants of dwarf statui 
and are far more effective in the ma 
than as single plants. 
For one thing the other parts of t 
border are comparatively destitute 
growth when they are in bloom, and th 
have a better appearance from a distant 
They should not be growing into one a- 
other, however; sufficient room should ■ 
left for each plant to develop, and win 
these clumps go out of flower they can ‘ 
utilised for late summer and autumn eff-t 
by planting Gladioli, herbaceous Lobeli., 
Lantanas, etc., in between them. 
Never be persuaded to leave out bus 
such as Snowdrops, Crocus, Daffod . 
Tulips, etc., they are valuable for ear 
flowers, a most necessarv item in a bord . 
Have Liliums, too. Don’t be afraid f 
them. Such plants as L. chalcedonicu . 
L. superbum, and L. croceum will gt v 
anywhere. Others as L. auratum and • 
Brownii like partial shade, with peat r 
leafsoil and sand mixed with the borer 
soil, but this should not exclude them fna 
the border. The main thing to rerne - 
ber about all bulbous plants is to pl :lt 
deeply. . “k I 
Now for the edging. I recommend <! e 
only, the grass verge. Have it from ° 
to three feet wide, and keep it down v-h 
the mowing machine, if the border is - 11 
into the lawn there is no necessity for n 
edging. Box, Thrift, Pinks, etc., are v l 1 
nice, but they have not the same dista.e 
effect about them as grass. What I m n 
is that the border with a well-shorn g:~ 
verge looks longer than it really is. 
H. ARNOLI 
