1877.] 



AND HOETIGULTURIST. 



159 



chokes they had known in France. The para- 

 graph cannot positively mean that the French- 

 men saw these roots under culture by the Indians, 

 because if they had thej'^ would have known at 

 once that it was the Jerusalem Artichoke, as 

 both kinds were well known in Europe at that 

 time. Any Frenchman who knew enough about 

 vegetables to carry the taste of the common 

 Artichoke to this country with him, would 

 surely have some acquaintance with the Jerusa- 

 lem Artichoke. This is why we thought the 

 paragraph " of little moment," and it is so plain 

 that we did not expect it would be necessary for 

 us to enter into any reason why. 



But having been thus led to put our feet into 

 it, we may as well go right on and give expres- 

 sion to a long pent up doubt that the Jerusalem 

 Artichoke ever derived the name from any fan- 

 cied resemblance to the common Artichoke. In 

 his younger daj^s it was the writer's privilege to 

 be where both were often served up at table, and 

 he could never detect any resemblance, nor 

 could he ever find any one who could. Old 

 Parkinson even could see no reason for such a 

 name, and urged that they be called, instead, 

 " Potatoes of Canada." It is more likely that 

 the whole name is a corruption of some other, 

 as we all admit " Jerusalem " is. The roots were 

 sent to England from Italy in 1617, but it ap- 

 pears to have been in the possession of Mr. 



Goodyer before this. However, it came to Eng- 

 land with an Italian name, Girasole articiocco. 

 From Girasole we have " Jerusalem," and no 

 doubt articiocco gave artichoke. But what is 

 articiocco? The nime of the old Artichoke in 

 Italy is Carciofo, so plainly, the Italians did not 

 associate the plant with the common Artichoke. 

 The Greek word artutikos signifies " fit for use 

 as a seasoner," and if is just as likely that the 

 roots were at first used as an ingredient in soups, 

 which is about all they ever were fit for. Even 

 in 1629, we read that it was thought so poorly of 

 in England, that even the poor despised it. It 

 seems never to have been popular as an article 

 of food. There appears to be no Italian root 

 from whence to derive the word, Articiocco and 

 why may it not have been made up from the 

 Greek, just as such names are made up now? 

 Any word in a long series of years may become 

 corrupted. The French artichaut might in time 

 be made articiocco by a neighboring people. 

 But this will not do, because the name is too 

 old for such an explanation. 



Now philology is not one of the special 

 studies the Gardener's Monthly is established to 

 promote. We venture on it here with some 

 hesitation, but as the matter has been a puzzle 

 to us for some thirty years, we thought best to 

 " out with the Avhole thing " under our good 

 correspondent's temptation. 



fMORTICULTURAL fSOCIETIES. 



EDITORIAL NOTES. 



American Pomological Society. — The Ameri- 

 can Pomological Society having accepted the 

 invitation of the Maryland Horticultural So- 

 ciety, the undersigned give notice that the Six- 

 teenth Session of this National Association will 

 be held in Baltimore, commencing Wednesday, 

 September 12th, 1877, at 10 o'clock a. m., and 

 continuing for three days. 



All Horticultural, Pomological, Agricultural 

 and other kindred Associations in the United 

 States and British Provinces, are invited to send 

 delegations as large as they may deem expedi- 

 ent ; and all persons interested in the cultiva- 

 tion of fruits are invited to be present, and take 

 seats in the Convention. 



It is confidently anticipated that there will be 

 a full attendance of delegates from all quarters 

 of our country, thereby stimulating more exten- 

 sive cultivation by the concentrated information 

 and experience of cultivators, and aiding the 

 society in perfecting its catalogue of fruits. This 

 catalogue includes fifty States and Territories, 

 most of which have their columns filled with 

 a great amount of information as to the fruit 

 adapted for culture in the respective locations. 

 Many of these are yet incomplete; and it is the 

 object of the society, from year to year, to fill 



the blanks, and bring its catalogue nearer to per- 

 fection. To accomplish this object as fully as 

 possible, the Chairman of the General Fruit 

 Committee, P. Barry, Esq., Rochester, N. Y., will 

 send out the usual circulars of inquiry; and it 

 is desirable that these inquiries should be an- 

 swered at an early day. The various State and 

 local committees are urged to respond to the 

 circulars as soon as practicable. 



The coming session will derive a special inter- 

 est from its location in the midst of the great 

 fruit-growing region of the Atlantic coast, and 

 also from the fact that it is the first meeting held 

 since the expiration of the first century of our 

 national history. It is desired, in this connec- 

 tion, that the Vice-Presidents of the several 

 States, Territories, and Provinces, should fur- 

 nish or procure, as far as possible, short histori- 

 cal sketches of the rise and progress of fruit- 

 culture in their respective districts, from their 

 settlement up to the year 1876, to the end that 

 the forthcoming report may give a complete 

 view of the poniological history of the various 

 parts of the country. State and local Horticul- 

 tural Societies are respectfully requested to co- 

 operate and aid in this work. 



Arrangements will be made with hotels, and, 

 as far as possible, with the various railroad lines 

 terminating in Baltimore, for a reduction of 



