Occupations > Abercrombie's improved practical gardener; with a monthly calendar for the flower garden

ASPARAGUS.
Time qf coming to a bearing state.
The shoots or buds come up but weak and
slender the first year, stronger the second, and
still stronger the third, when some odd buds may
be gathered, and in the fourth year the buds will
be in full perfection.
Cutting and Gathering.
Never begin to cut till the plants come to ma¬
ture growth, that is, three or four years after
planting, at which time they are of proper
strength to produce full-sized buds. The buds
are in the greatest perfection when they have
projected above ground from three to five inches,
as then they are closed and plump. In gathering
the buds scrape away an inch or two of the earth
from the shoot, and then slip the knife down
close to each shoot separately, and cut it off slant¬
ingly about an inch lower, taking care not to
wound the crown or any adjoining shoot. Never
cut much after the middle of June, but permit
it to run up; in fact, the weak should never be
cut at all. If on any particular occasion cutting
should be required later than the above time, be
careful to leave one or two shoots on each stool
in order to draw the nourishment to it, for if left
destitute of growing shoots they would perish,
and thus fill the beds with vacant spots.
Duration of the Plantation.
¥
A plantation of asparagus, under good manage¬
ment, will generally continue to afford plentiful