132 

 175.-" ARTICHOKES." 



The above name is one commonly applied in England to twa 

 distinct plants, one called the " Globe Artichoke" or Cynara cardun- 

 culus L., and the other the "Jerusalem Artichoke" or Helianthus 

 tuberosus ; L. The Globe Artichoke is shewn by De Candolle, p. 42 

 of "Origin of cultivated plants" to be a native of Mediterranean 

 countries, but has during the present century become so firmly 

 naturalized in Brazil and Chili as to have become a hindrance to 

 travellers. The Jerusalem Artichoke on the other hand is shewn to 

 be a native of North America and is capable of bearing any amount 

 of cold. Eeasoning on the basis of climate it would certainly appear 

 likely that the plant which comes from the warm region of the Medi- 

 terranean would be more amenable to cultivation in the West Indies 

 than one coming from North America. As a matter of fact however the 

 " Jerusalem Artichoke" is a comparatively easy plant to grow, while 

 the "Globe Artichoke" is very difficult, and can only be grown at 

 considerable elevations and seldom appears in our local markets. 

 Temperature has probably in this, as in many other cases, less to do 

 with the result, than humidity ; for it is found that the " Globe 

 Artichoke" suflfers most in damp weather, while the "Jerusalem 

 Artichoke" can stand moisture with impunity, and can also 

 stand a season of drought without being seriously affected. The com- 

 mon names applied to the "Jerusalem Artichoke" in various countries 

 are given by Messrs. Vilmorin-Andrieux in their famous work on the 

 "Vegetable Garden" as follows: — French, Topinambour ; Oerman, 

 Erdapfel ; Flemish, Aarpeer ; Danish, Jordskokken ; Italian, Girasole 

 del Canada, Tartufoli ; Spanish, Namara ; Portuguese, Topinambor ; 

 English, Jerusalem Artichoke. De Candolle further states ; " The 

 French name Topinambour comes apparently from some real or sup- 

 posed Indian name. The common English name is a corruption of the 

 Italian girasole, sunflower, combined with an allusion to the artichoke 

 flavour of the root." 



M.M. Vilmorin-Andreiux gives the following : " stem erect, 

 very stout, sometimes over 6^ feet high" and it is known that in good 

 ground in Europe that they often reach one or two feet more than 

 the height given. Here however in Trinidad the variety generally 

 cultivated seldom reach more than three and is often but two feet in 

 height. The tubers are small and much worted or divided, and there 

 is consequently great loss in preparing them for the table. In Europe 

 the tubers are colored somewhat {voilet-red, Vilmorin) with a reddish 



