CHAP. VI VILLA GARDENING 423 



and seen the Globe Artichokes in flower. They have a very 

 ornamental appearance, but flowering has a ruinous eft'ect upon 

 productiveness. Begin to cut the heads as soon as they are half 

 grown, and do not allow any to get beyond that stage. It is 

 better to cut the heads and cast them on the rubbish heap than 

 leave them to get old; and as fast as they are cut remove the 

 stems which bore them. If liquid manure is jjlentiful a good 

 soaking will be beneficial any time during the iieriod of bearing. 

 Mulching also with manm'e will be a great help. 



Protecting in Winter. — Though for the most part the Globe 

 Artichokes are fairly hardy in a well-drained soil, they should not 

 be left to pass through a severe winter unprotected, for if they 

 siu'vive they will probably be so much weakened as to be of little 

 use for bearing purposes the following year. From 1861 there 

 were twelve or fourteen years without a frost sufficiently sharp to 

 injure them ; but of com'se sharp winters are sure to visit us 

 occasionally without giving notice of their coming, and it is safest 

 and best to be prepared for a low temperature. The old way was 

 to cover up the rows of Artichokes with long dry litter, and then 

 raise a bank of earth over the plants, which remained in this con- 

 dition till the growth commenced in spring. I do not think that 

 all this trouble and care are necessary, but it is a good plan to pack 

 some bm'nt earth or ashes 6 or 8 inches thick round the base of 

 the plants, extending a few inches outside them all round. This 

 shoidd be done early in winter, and when frost sets in cover the 

 plants over with litter, and leave it on as long as frost continues. 

 All the plants should be uncovered by the end of March, and the 

 ashes, burnt earth, old tan, or whatever has been used to protect 

 the base of the plants, should be levelled down between the rows, 

 and forked in with a dressing of manure. When the jolants are 

 crowded with growth in sjiring, the weakest offsets should be 

 removed. 



Varieties. — I have two varieties here, the green and purple- 

 tinted — the latter, in my opinion, being by far the best. I have 

 seen a good deal of variety in seedlings — proving, if proof were 

 needed, that the best form of the cultivated Artichoke has been 

 evolved by a long course of cultm-e from an inferior kind, and that 

 seedlings — at least some of them — display a tendency to return to 

 their former condition, showing that some of the old wUd nature 

 still remains with them. 



Cardoons. — Botanically the Cardoon is nearly related to the 

 Globe Artichoke, and in the early stages of their growth the two 

 plants resemble each other ; but beyond this all resemblance 

 ends, as in culture and use they are diametrically opposite. The 



