four to five feet high: the leaves large and strong, with 
broadish segments to the leaflets, of a shining green, with 
a little appearance of hoariness on the upper surface, and 
generally destitute of spines, though some of the plants 
have a few small ones at the base of the leaflets.” Our 
plant, which was drawn from a specimen cultivated in the 
garden of the Edinburgh Horticultural Society, had only 
very small and soft spines in the tips of the lobes of the | 
leaflets. 
- The descriptive pages of the variety above figured having — 
been chiefly devoted to an account of the singular appear- 
ance made by this plant in the Pampas of Buenos Ayres, 
the present will be occupied by an account of the mode of 
its cultivation, as is practised at the garden of the Horti- 
cultural Society of London. 
The soil to be chosen for the growth of Cardoons, should 
be deep and light, but not over rich. The seeds are to.be 
sown about the middle of April, in trenches about six 
inches deep, by twelve inches wide, into which a small — 
quantity of rotten dung has been previously dug. The — 
rows are to be set four feet distant from each other, and the 
seed sown in patches (three or four together) at abot 
eighteen inches apart ; when the young plants have acquil 
ed a few leaves, they should be thinned out to single plants. 
During the summer, they must be kept free from weeds, — 
and in dry weather frequently watered. They require — 
much moisture. About the end of October, when the — 
plants have attained nearly their full size, a dry day isto — 
be chosen, when the plants are free from damp, to com- — 
mence the operation of blanching, which is thus performed. — 
The leaves of each plant are carefully and lightly tied — 
together with strong matting, keeping the whole apes : 
then — 
and the ribs of the leaves together. The plant is 
bound closely round with twisted hay-bands about an inch — 
and a half in diameter, beginning at the root, and contin-— 
uing to about two-thirds of its height, covering the whole 
so as to prevent the earth, when applied to it, coming 
contact with the ribs of the leaves. If the Cardoons are £0 
be used early, and before frost sets in, the plants may re 
main thus banded, without earthing up, and will become 
sufficiently blanched for use. But if there is any danger 
of their being exposed to frost, then it is necessary that 
they should be earthed up in the same manner as Corey | 
care being taken not to raise the earth higher than 
hay-bands. : 
A more 
