8l2 
December 28, T907. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
benefits derived from the method of cul¬ 
ture under consideration, should try sow¬ 
ing in pots, and giving the plants what 
little protection they can. The greatest 
care should be taken that nothing is done 
that would tend to make the plants at all 
spindly. The protection most needed, 
perhaps, is that from excessive wet. The 
greatest reason against sowing the plants 
too early in the open ground is that the 
soil is generally too wet. 
The pots used should be clean, five or 
Six inches in diameter being suitable 
sizes, and five or six seeds should be sown 
in each pot. The compost should be 
moderately rich and should contain 
enough sand to keep it open. - If pre¬ 
ferred, boxes can be used instead of pots, 
but in this case the roots will have to be 
disturbed on planting out. This, how¬ 
ever, seems to be a very slight disadvan¬ 
tage, for 1 have found plants whose roots 
had been disturbed doing quite as well as 
those which had been planted straight out 
without the ball of soil being broken. If 
boxes are used they should not be too 
shallow, those about six inches deep are 
suitable. The seeds should be covered 
with about an inch of soil. 
Last season, owing probably to a very 
sunny ripening period, the coats of many 
seeds were hard and tough, and germina¬ 
tion was hindered thereby. Possibly this 
trouble will not be present this year, but 
if it does occur it can be remedied by 
gently rubbing a hole in the outside skin 
of the seed. This can be done with a file 
or a knife or by rubbing the seeds on a 
piece of sandstone. As soon as the yellow 
inside of the seed becomes visible through 
the skin, the rubbing should cease. Do 
not rub that part of the skin that is 
marked by the scar. 
Last season a seed which I particularly 
desired to germinate failed to do so, and 
after six weeks it was dug up and was 
found not even to have swollen. After 
the skin had been pierced and the seed 
soaked in water for a day, it swelled and 
ultimately produced a satisfactory plant. 
I do not intend to discuss here the 
novelties for 1908, but I should like to re¬ 
peat the advice given by “ Horti" in a re¬ 
cent number, and that is to order early 
any novelty that the reader has noted as 
being particularly good. I know of at 
least one variety that was completely sold 
out six weeks ago. 
In spite of novelties, there are some 
older varieties which will be wanted by 
everyone this year, and I will name some 
of themJohn Ingman, practically 
identical with George Herbert; Helen 
Lewis, which came top of the audit of 
varieties shown at the 1907 N.S.P.S.’s ex¬ 
hibition ; Countess Spencer, the best 
thoroughly reliable pink; Mrs. Hard- 
castle Sykes, a pale form of the last- 
named, which has always been quite fixed 
and true. Some strains of the other varie¬ 
ties I named have not been fixed, and it 
is to this fact, and this fact alone, that 
any dissatisfaction they may have given 
is to be attributed. Frank Dolby is not 
so good as Mrs. Charles Foster, which is 
the best lavender, but it is far more re¬ 
liable. Queen Alexandra is a most bril¬ 
liant scarlet and it does not burn in the 
sun. Henry Eckford is small, but beauti¬ 
ful and unique in colour. Helen Pierce 
is also small and unique in colouring. 
Nora Unwin, last year, was a great suc¬ 
cess, but I think that the white form of 
Countess Spencer, which is more waved, 
is rather better. 
The report of the National Sweet Pea 
Society shows great progress in all direc¬ 
tions. The new affiliation scheme should 
prove a great success. To encourage the 
love of the flower in local horticultural 
societies, silver medals will be provided 
for competition at their annual shows. 
This, and other privileges, are in return 
for the modest annual subscription of half 
a guinea. 
Possibly it will have been noticed al¬ 
ready that the 1908 National Show will 
not be held until July 24th. This date 
is unavoidably late, but although 
southern growers will be past their best, 
the men from over the border will have 
an opportunity which they are unlikely to 
miss. 
G. F. Drayson. 
FORCING 
Asparagus. 
Provided that plenty of material for 
forming a good hotbed is available, it is 
not a difficult matter to obtain a supply 
of forced Asparagus during the winter 
months. Fresh stable manure and Oak 
or Beech leaves in the proportion of two 
parts of the former to one part of the 
latter is the most suitable fermenting 
material for generating a lasting heat, 
and this should be thrown loosely into a 
heap and afterwards be thrice turned and 
shaken out at intervals of two days to al¬ 
low all rank steam and gases to escape 
and bring the material into sweet and suit¬ 
able condition for making a long-lived 
hot-bed. Hot-beds that are sunk below 
the level of the ground are better than 
those built on the surface, as they hold 
the heat, last longer, and give a steadier 
and more uniform heat. The hot-bed, 
when finished, should be at least three 
feet high or deep and either a hole to 
this depth and a little larger than the 
frame to be placed on the hot-bed, should 
be excavated in the ground or a hole of 
less depth and the soil obtained be banked 
up round the sides to give the required 
three feet. The material should be 
placed in the pit in layers, each layer 
being well trodden and consolidated to in¬ 
duce a gentle and more lasting heat. 
When the hot-bed is completed, place 
the frame in position in the centre as 
shown in the annexed sketch, and spread 
five or six inches thick of light, rich soil 
inside. Place the lights over the frame 
and wait a few days until the temperature 
of the hot-bed can be ascertained. An 
even temperature of about sixty-five de¬ 
grees is suitable for forcing Asparagus, 
and when the top heat in the frame does 
not exceed seventy degrees with the 
bottom heat a little higher, the roots may 
be planted. 
Asparagus roots for forcing must not be 
less than four years old, and should be 
laid out on the soil closely together with¬ 
out undue crowding and be covered with 
four or five inches of soil similar to that 
underneath. When planted, water the 
roots in well, close the lights, and cover 
over with mats to exclude light. As soon 
as young growth appears, light should be 
gradually admitted and also a little air, 
both being necessary in order to give the 
Asparagus strength and flavour. Aspara¬ 
gus should not be blanched, as this causes 
it to be flavourless and tough. During 
cold weather linings of manure should be 
placed round the frame as indicated by 
the dotted lines in the sketch to assist in 
maintaining the necessary temperature in¬ 
side. After being forced, Asparagus roots 
are of no further use, and should be 
thrown away. 
“ ORTUS.” 
Forcing Asparagus on a hotbed. 
