Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1894-06-20
ABOUT ASPARAGUS.
A VEGETABLE THAT ENJOYS A DE-
SERVED POPULARITY.

1t Grows Wild In Some Places, but Flour
islies Best In a Well Kept Garden-Its
Relation to the Famous Asphodel-The
Seeds Used For Coffee.
As a tickler of the palate asparagus
has come down the ages with all the
weight of Greek. and Roman approval.
Plato ate it by the plateful, and Aris-
tophanes, the humorist, regarded it as q
great aid in digesting the crank phi
losophers of the day
1t is an odd fact that this culinary
plant is closely related to the famous
asphodel, which was supposed by the
ancients to be the leading flower in the
gardens of the elysium, the Greek pur-
gatory or paradise. A part of the
quaintness of this lies in the fact that
the roots both possess purgative quail
ties. The roots and fruit of both were
formerly much used in medicine for
this purpose.
According to the superstition of the
Romans, the names of the dead fed on
the roots of the asphodel. They planted
it, therefore, in and around the ceme-
teries. Hence to this day it covers with
its beautiful golden blossoms as profuse-
ly as dandelions the Apulian hills and
valleys, and the sheep feed Oh it greed
lily.
1t belongs to the same natural order
OF perennials, and the only difference
between the asparagus and the asphodel
appears to be in the fruit and the color
of the flowers. So abundant is the wild
asparagus in the steppes of Russia that
cattle eat it like grass, just as Italian
sheep devour it's botanical cousin.
Not native to America, it has here,
however, been raised to its greatest per-
fection as table delicacy. Perhaps no
other plant gives as good proof of what
cultivation can do. In its wild state it
rarely grows higher than foot OF thick
er than slate pencil. Culture has mul
tiplied its height by four and its thick
ness nearly as much. adding also to its
favor-not, however, to its value as
food, for it still possesses very little nu-
tritive substance.
1t was once regarded as garden or
nament in this country, and in New
England rural places especially was used
in making up bouquets. Dried speci-
mems can still be found in Maine and
Massachusetts parlors. Nor is this,
which would strike those who know it
only to eat it, as curious old fashioned
taste, without good foundation from
an artistic point of view, for the full
grown plant is remarkable for it's deli
cate elegance. 1t has many branches
loaded with fine, threadlike leaves and
small bell shaped flowers of greenish
yellow luster.
Its expansiveness is also remarkable,
and it has lent itself to modern humor
as it did to ancient. One of the most de-
hcious passages of Charles Dudley War
ner's "My Summer In Garden" tells
Of his planting it, leaving it alone for
awhile and coming back to find that it
had overrun everything and threatened
to turn his place into an asparagus grove.
The methods of cultivation and cut
ting OF the young and tender shoots for
market before ramifcation differ very
little here and abroad except as to time
Here it is generally not cut for the first
t-7N s'narS Abroad il, is often allowed
to grow three or four. The life OF plant
cut and tended is dozen years.
The beds are generally feet broad,
with trenches az feet deep for the ma
nuring. The plants are usually arranged
from 6 to 10 inches apart, and the clus-
ter of heads that grows from each root
is cut from little below the surface of
the soil
Asparagus possesses, in common with
asphodel and some score Of related
plants, a very peculiar crystalline chem
ical called asparagine, and all extract
of the shoots and roots is still admins
tered occasionally in dropsies as diu-
retic, and also as lithic to dissolve
calculi in the bladder. 1t seems to be
unquestionably stimulus to digestion
and is probably one of the most whole
some adjuncts of dinner.
The seeds in some parts Of southern
Europe are dried and used as substi-
tute for coffee, which may yet come
into fashion here. A wild variety in
Spain and Portugal is considered the
crown of a salad, having pleasant Bit
ter taste that gives not only FLIP to
the tongue, but also to the appetite.
The amount raised in Staten Island and
in Jersey for the New York market in
creases markedly every year, and the
quality seems to keep pace with the
quantity.
The ways Of cooking and serving it
are likewise on the. increase. Asparagus
OH toast, asparagus salads, asparagus
patties, sauces and even soups, plain
and in combination with many other
indicate by their variety
the favor it has attained.
A very common mistake, however,
that is made in preparing it is to cook
it whole. After being delicately
washed, it should be cut In hall, and
the lowest part should be cooked for
Of an hour. Then add
the tops and cook for 10 or Is minutes.
By this method both parts become just
right The stalk is tender throughout.
and the tops do not fall all to pieces.
So called Prussian asparagus, an al
lied plant, of which the spikes are eat
en- in some places, is not wholesome,
and canned asparagus seems to lack not
only flavor, but the medicinal virtues
Of the fresh.-New York World.
A Story of the wur.
1t is not generally known, even
among those pretty familiar with the
history Of the late war, how near Gen.
eral Isaac Wistar came to capturing
planned for that purpose and consisting
of six regiments, four of cavalry, left
Williamsburg, Va, Feb. 5, 1864. The
Confederate capital was known to be
nearly empty of troops at that particu-
lar time. While it was not intended to