As an article of food, asparagus, in moderation, is both wholesome and nutritious. It is cooked by simply boiling it rather quickly until tender, like the other soft green vegetables;
and is either served up plain, or on toast with melted butter or sauce Hollandaise in a boat (Soyer; Rundell.) When very small and green, it is frequently dressed and served like green-peas, the tender portion of each shoot being cut into bits of equal size, and about 1-3rd of an inch long. (Miss Acton.)
Choice, &c. “The large grass is generally preferred; although the smaller has the fullest flavour for a dish.” (Soyer.) Unlike other plants, the asparagus officinalis has not produced a single well-marked permanent variety by cultivation.[92]
[92] “The young shoots of polygona′tum (Solomon’s Seal), and others, have been substituted for asparagus.” (Lindley’s ‘Veg. King.,’ 3rd ed., 203.)
Asparagus Petræ′a. [L.] Syn. Rock′-aspar′agus; Corruda; Aspar′agus acutifo′′lia, L,; Corrude, Fr. Resembles the last in its general qualities; but is said to contain more asparagin.
ASPAR′AMIDE (-mĭd). See Asparagin.
ASPAR′TIC ACID. HC4H6NO4. Syn. Malam′ic acid; Acidum aspar′ticum, L.; Acide aspartique, Fr. An acid first obtained, by Plisson, from asparagin, by boiling it along with hydrate of lead or of magnesia. Its salts are called ASPAR′TATES (Eng., Fr.; ASPAR′TAS, L. sing.) See Asparagin.
AS′PEN (-pĕn). Syn. Asp*, Trem′bling pop′lar‡; Pop′ulus trem′ula (Linn.), L.; Tremble, Fr.; Aespe (äspe), &c. Ger. A large tree, of the nat. ord. Amentaceæ; (DC.), not uncommon in the moist woodlands of England, and found native on many of the Scottish mountains. It derives its name from the trembling motion of its leaves, which, owing to the peculiar flattening of the leafstalks, are agitated by the slightest impulse of the air. Bark and leaves contain POP′ULIN associated with SAL′ICIN. Both bark and leaves have been used with advantage in strangury and intermittents.
ASPHALT′ (-fălt′). Asphaltum.
ASPHALT′UM. [L., prim. Gr.] Syn. Asphalt′, Compact bitumen, Mineral pitch, Jew’s pitch, Foss′il bitu′men, Vit′reus b., &c.; Asphal′tus, Bitumen fos′sile (-e-le), B. Juda′icum, B. sol′idum, B. vit′reum, Mu′mia†, M. minera′lis*, &c., L.; Asphalte, Bitume massif, B. solide, Poix juive, &c., Fr.; Asphalt, Erdpech, Judenpech, &c., Ger. A black, hard, brittle, and glossy variety of bitumen found on the shores of the Dead Sea (hence called La′cus Asphalti′tes), on and near the shores of the Great Pitch Lake of Trinidad, and as a mineral product in various other parts of the world.