==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 distance of fifteen or eighteen inches in the row.  Much of the injury reported to follow from close planting has been the result of carelessness in thinning.  The young plant is such a slender, delicate thing, that, to the thoughtless operator, it seems folly to thin down to one only.  The consequence is that two or three, or perhaps half a dozen, plants are left at each station to ‘fight it out,’ and these become so intermixed as to appear to be one, though really many, and of course amongst them they produce more shoots than can be fed properly by the limited range of their roots.  Severe, or may we say mathematical, thinning is a =sine qua non=, and it requires sharp eyes and careful fingers; but it must be done if the Asparagus beds are to become, as they should be, the pride of the Kitchen Garden.