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Asparagus Culture in France. 231

" Every year towards the months of April and May slugs and
.snails are to be carefiilly looked for, while the morning dew remains,
and destroyed. Beetles are also much to be feared in the asparagus
plantations. Twice every day during a fortnight it will be well to
pursue these insects with rods, so as to hinder them from depositing
their eggs on the stalks of the asparagus 5 these eggs appear at the
end of three weeks in the shape of black maggots or worms, which
prey upon the asparagus stems and dry them up. Yet these insects
are not the only ones which are to be dreaded. The white worms
(or maggots of tree beetles) are very dangerous, and it will be well
constantly to put in use the most proper means to get rid of them,
for they eat the roots and destroy the asparagus plants. It will be
useful also to set mole traps, for while tracing their underground roads
the moles cut the asparagus roots in order to get through. Fre-
quently during the season the plantations should be thoroughly
cleaned, taking care to never bruise or in any way injure the young
plants, for any accident to these is of course directly prejudicial to
the plant.
^^ Common vegetables, such as late potatoes, cabbages, &c.,
ought not to be planted on the ridges of beds, which, however,
may be made useful (but only daring the first years) by growing
on them early potatoes, lentils, kidney beans, salads, and such
other vegetables as are of little inconvenience from their di-
mensions.
