A dictionary of modern gardening - University Library

—
i
ASP 68 ASP
|
'
;
!
i
I
with this judicious modification, that to cut. Doubtless all its energies are
earth be never, taken from the paths developed by the digging in of the maafter
the first year, but these merely be nure in the autumn of the second year,
covered with dung, and which is only and when it does begin to sprout, it
to be slightly dug in; for every gar- finds its roots in contact with a soil of
dener must have observed that the roots inexhaustible fertility.
of the outer row extend into the alleys, " Previously, hovvever, to the cutting,
and are consequently destroyed if they each bed is covered in the course of
are dug over. And, rather than that March very lightly with dead leaves,
should take place, the beds should have
no winter covering unless earth can be
obtained from some other source, as
to the depth of about eight inches ; and
the cutting does not commence till the
plants peep through this covering, when
asparagus does not generally suffer
from frost, as is commonly supposed.
Manuring.—No garden plant is more
it is carefully removed from the stems,
in order that the finest only may be cut,
which are rendered white by their leafy
benefitted than is asparagus by the ap- covering, and succulent by the excesplication
of common salt, if it be given
at such times as the plants are growing.
Two pounds to every thirty square
sive richness of the soil.
" In the autumn of the third year,
after the first cutting, the leaves are reyards
of surface should be sown broad- moved, and the beds are again dressed
cast over the beds early in April. After with fresh night soil, as before; and
that, water the plants once a week with these operations are repeated year after
liquid manure, formed of half an ounce year. In addition to this, the beds are
of guano and four ounces of salt to half under salt water annually at spring
every gallon of water. The supply of: tides."
food cannot be too rich or too abundant. ""'
Spanish culture,—Near Sebastian, in
Spain, the finest asparagus in Europe
is produced by the following mode :
Time of production. — In May the
beds are in full production of young
shoots, which, when from two to five
inches high, are fit for cutting, and as
long as the head continues compact and
firm. Care must be taken in cutting
not to injure those buds which are
generally rising from the same root
in various grades of successional growth
within the ground. The knife ought
to be narrow pointed, the blade about
nine inches in length, and saw edged.
The earth being carefully opened round
the shoot, to observe whether any others
are arising, the blade is to be gently
slipped along the stalk until it reaches
its extremity, where the cut is to be made
in a slanting direction. It almost always
occurs that the same stool produces a
" In March the seed is sown in two
drills, about two inches deep, and
eighteen inches trom the alleys, thus
leaving a space of two feet between
the drills. The rows run invariably
east and west, doubtless in order that
the plants may shade the ground during
the heats of summer.
" When the seedlings are about si.x
inches high, they are thinned to something
more than a foot apart. Water
is conducted once a day among the
alleys, and over the beds, so as to give
these seedlings an abundant and constant
supply of fluid during the season
nf their growth. This is the cultiva- greater number of small beads than
tion during the first year. large ones, but the latter only should be
" The second year, in the month ofl cut : for, the oflener the former are removed,
the more numerously will they
March, the beds are covered with three '
four inches of fresh night soil from
the reservoirs of the town. It remains
on them during the summer, and is
lightly dug in during the succeeding'
autumn ; the operation of irrigation
being continued as during the first sea-
son. This excessive stimulus, and the '
be produced, and the stools will sooner
become exhausted.
" No one should cut too. many sprouts
from his asparagus beds. On the con-
trary, the gardener should take care to
leave at least two or three strong sprouts,
to grow from every root; or what is
abundant room the plants have to grow better, his beds should be rested one
ill, must necessarily make them ex- year, and cut another; for he may be
tremely vigorous, and prepare them certain from the strength of the sum-
lor the production of gigantic sprouts.
" In the third spring asparagus is fit
mer shoots, what sort of sprouts he
will have to cut the succeeding year
—