ny available lime rubbish from destroyed
buildings, sand, peat, leaf-mould, surface soil raked from the rear of
the shrubberies, &c., and the result should be a good compost obtained
at an almost nominal cost.

==Size of Bed, and Sowing Seed.==--At this juncture several questions of
considerable importance arise. And first, whether the crop shall be
grown on the flat or in raised beds. Where the soil is sufficiently
deep, and the drainage perfect, the flat system answers well. The
advantages of raised beds are that they deepen the soil, assist the
drainage, promote warmth, and thus aid the growth of an early crop. In
fact, raised beds render it possible to grow Asparagus on soils from
which this vegetable could not otherwise be obtained. The preparation is
the same in either case, and therefore we shall make no further allusion
to flat beds, but leave those to adopt them who find their soil and
requirements suitable. Now comes the question of distance, on which
depends the width of the beds. The first point may be settled by the
measure of the plant, and the second by the measure of the man. Monster
sticks are valued at some tables, and we shall refer to these later on,
but an abundant crop of handsome, though not abnormal, Asparagus meets
the requirements of most households. After many experiments, we have
come to the conclusion that the best mode of insuring a full return of
really good sticks, with the least amount of labour, is to lay out the
land in three-feet beds, with two-feet alleys between. In some
instances, no doubt, five-feet beds, containing three rows of roots, one
down the middle and one on each side at a distance of eighteen inches,
are preferable. For the majority of gardens, however, the three-feet bed
is a distinct advantage, were it only for the fact that all excuse for
putting a foot on the bed is avoided. On this narrow bed only two rows
of plants will be necessary. Put down the line at nine inches from the
edge on both sides, and at intervals of fifteen inches in the rows
dibble holes two inches deep, dropping two or three seeds in each. This
will give a distance between the rows of eighteen inches. In very strong
land, heavily manured, the holes may be eighteen inches apart instead of
fifteen. April is the right month for sowing.

==Thinning.==--When the 'grass' from seeds has grown about six inches
high, only the strongest plant must be left at each station, and they
should finally stand at a