Asparagus

THAT delectable vegetable, asparagus, has been cultivated man for more than two thousand years ; the elder cato speaks of its cultivation, and it may be presumed that it was known and grown long before that time. Yet in all this long time it has changed little in its character, and, as the author of this book points out, no really fixed and distinct forms or varieties have been produced. It is strange that so esteemed a luxury should never have received much attention from plant-breeders. Largely through chance, Mr. A. W. Kidner took up the problem of selection and breeding of giant forms of asparagus, and through long years of empirical observation, isolation and cross-fertilization developed strains of superlative quality. There is no doubt of the success that has attended his efforts, and they show what might still be done if the genetics of the plant were really worked out and strains homozygous for the desirable qualities fixed. Asparagus By Alfred W. Kidner. Pp. 168 + 17 plates. (London: Faber and Faber, Ltd., 1947.) 15 s . net.