The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1894-08-06
ABOUT ASPARAGUS.
A VEGETABLE THAT ENJOYS Al DE-.
SERVED POPULARITY.

&c Grows wild I'm Some Places, but Flour
iahes Best In a Well Kept Garden Its
Relation to the Famous AsphodeI The
Seeds Used For Coffee.
AS ticker of the palate asparagus
has come down the ages with all the
weight OF Greek and Roman approval
Plato ate it by the platefui, and Aris-
tophanes, the humorist, regarded it as a
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 purgatiye quali-
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 on it greed
lily. !.
It 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 its 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 ofwhat
cultivation can do. In its wild state it
rarely grows higher than foot or thick
er than slate pencil Culture has mul
tiplied its height by four and its thick
ness nearly as much, adding also to its
flavor-not, however, to its value as a
food, for it still possesses very little nu-
tritive substance.
It was once regarded az q garden or
nament in this country, and in New
England rural places especially was used
in making mp 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 1t, as curious old fashioned
taste, without good foundation from
an artistic point Of view, for the full
grown plant is remarkable for ifs deli
cate elegance. It has many branches
loaded with fne threadlike leaves and
small bell shaped flowers Of 9feenish
yellow luster.
Its expansiveness is also remarkable,
and it has lent itself TO modern humor
NJ IL did TO ancient One Of the most de-
Hcious passages Of Charles Dudley War
ner's Ny Summer In Garden tells
Of his planting IL, leaving il alone for
awhile and coming back to find that it
had overrun everything and threatened
10 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 1t is generally not cut for the first
two years Abroad it is often allowed
10 grow three or four. The life of plant
properly cut and tended is dozen years
The beds are generally feet broad,
with trenches 31k feet deep for the ma
nuring. The plants are usually arranged
from 9 TO 10 inches apart, and the clus-
ter Of heads that grows from each roct
is cut from little below the surface Of
the soil.
Asparagus possesses, in common with
asphodel and some score OF related
plants, very peculiar crystalline chem
ical called asparagine, and an extract
Of the shoots and roots is still admins
tered occasionally in dropsies as diu-
retic, and also as q ithic 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 q 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 70 keep pace with the
quantity.
The ways Of cooking and serving It
are likewise ON the increase Asparagus
ON toast asparagus salads, asparagus
patties, sauces and even soups, plain
and In combination with many other
vegetables, 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
three-quarters of an hour. Then add
the tops and cook Cor 10 or 15 minutes.
BY this method both parts become Just
right The stalk il tender throughout.
and the tops DO not fall all TO pieces
So called Prussian asparagus, an al