The Bulletin. 



ARTICHOKE. 



The term artichoke is applied to two distinctly different types of 

 vegetables. The one most commonly known in this country is the Jeru- 

 salem Artichoke (HeliarAhus tuherosus), which has a stalk like a sun- 

 flower and bears potato-like tubers at the roots. The other artichoke 

 (Cynarea Scolymus), which is grown extensively in Europe, but little 

 grown here except by foreigners, has a large thistle-like stalk, bearing 

 big, fleshy flower heads. 



The Jerusalem artichoke is most commonly grown for stock or 

 chicken feed. The plant is a perennial of the most vigorous nature, 

 that will grow almost anyAvhere without the slightest care. In fact, 

 the plant, on account of its vigorous reproduction and rampant growth, 

 may become a troublesome weed in lawns and gardens. Almost every 

 old garden has its artichoke corner where these plants hold undisputed 

 sway, producing large quantities of irregular, knotty tubers. The plant 

 is little used for vegetable purposes except as pickles. As the Jerusalem 

 artichoke is so enormously productive, grows with so little care, and is 

 so much liked by stock, it is now becoming more commonly cultivated 

 as food for hogs. The tubers are rowed out and cultivated like corn 

 and the hogs turned in, in the fall, to do the harvesting. 



The French or burr artichoke is a coarse perennial plant, largely 

 cultivated in Europe for the fleshy bracts at the base of the flower 

 heads. Its cultivation has not become general in this country except 

 near some large cities, where there is a demand for them at high-class 

 cafes and by foreigners. 



The plants may be grown from seed, but the easiest and quickest way 

 is to set out the suckers that come up about the bases of the old stalks. 

 If set early on good soil, they should give mature heads the first season. 

 In sowing seed, it takes two years to produce edible heads. The seed 

 may be sown in rows and the resulting plants transplanted in the fall. 

 As the leaves are long and spreading, the plants, should be 3 feet apart 

 in rows with 5-foot middles. In the warmer parts of the State the 

 plants will usually go through winter without injury, but are best to 

 be mulched with straw or coarse manure in localities where there is 

 snow. To grow large, fleshy heads, liberal applications of manure and 

 fertilizers should be made in spring. The heads should be cut before 

 they show the blue of the flower. The large lacy, spreading leaves 

 make the plant handsome for ornamental garden planting. 



ASPARAGUS. 



Asparagus appearing on the market at a time of the year when few 

 other fresh vegetables are available, has had much to do with its in- 

 creased popularity. ISTot only is it grown and marketed in the fresh 

 state, but the canning of asparagus has developed into a considerable 

 industry in some localities. 



