ons under the
benches, a pit may be constructed by placing boards against the posts
and filling in the space thus furnished. To secure a succession, new
roots from the reserve stock have to be planted every three or four
weeks.

For the first week or ten days after placing the roots in the
forcing-pit they should be kept rather cool, so as to give them a chance
to become established. A temperature of 45 deg. to 50 deg. is best, at
first. Afterward it should be raised to 55 deg. to 60 deg., and during
the day it may rise as high as 80 deg. to 85 deg. But, as a rule, very
high temperatures induce a spindling growth. During the entire forcing
process asparagus requires a large amount of water, but unless it has the
chill taken off, and ample means for drainage are provided, it may do far
more harm than good. The interval between the time of planting and the
first cutting varies greatly, according to the temperature and other
conditions.

The following are actual dates of asparagus forcing under benches at
Cornell University: Plants taken from an old patch November 29th and set
under benches three days later. December 4th, shoots just pushing
through. December 8th, first shoots cut, averaging nine inches long.
December 14th, first good cutting, shoots running from six to fifteen
inches long. December 18th, second good cutting. December 26th, a good
cutting, some of the shoots having remained too long and become woody;
some of these shoots were two feet long. January 10th, a heavy cutting.
January 19th, cut about half as many shoots as on the 10th. January
30th, cut about as much as on the 19th, but shoots growing smaller.
February 10th, small cutting of weak shoots. Beyond this time there were
no shoots worth cutting.

FORCING IN HOTBEDS AND FRAMES

The forcing of asparagus in hotbeds does not differ materially from that
in the greenhouse, except in the supply of heat. "A most suitable place
for forcing asparagus," writes William Scott, in _Garden and Forest_,
"is a frame about four feet deep with one-fourth inch hot-water pipe
running around it. About two and one-half feet of fresh stable litter
should be put into the frame and firmly packed, with an inch or two of
sand spread over it. This bed should be allowed to stand until the heat
of the manure has declined to about 70 deg., and not below 65 deg., before
the crowns are placed on it. For this work advantage should be taken of a
day when the weather is mild, as t