354 TRANSACTIONS OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 



gardens of England at that time. It is more hardy than the cauli- 

 flower and more liable to produce a crop of flowers ; it does not 

 grow quite as large as the former, and consequently requires less 

 room. The purple cape is a late variety. In color it is similar 

 to the red cabbage. The white cape is the earliest. To be suc- 

 cessful in growing broccoli, as also cauliflower, it requires fresh 

 ground every year. We have never been successful in raising 

 them the second year in the same soil. Of course, like all the 

 brassica or cabbage tribe, it is liable to be attacked by insects, 

 the most disgusting of which is the small green fly. This little 

 pest creeps into all the crevices of the flower, and can only be 

 ousted by immersing the head in salt and water for a few hours 

 before cooking. Cooked the same as cauliflower. 



Artichoke. 

 Cynarus scolymus, or Globe artichoke. The artichoke is a 

 j)erennial plant, with large leaves, three or four feet in length, 

 covered with ash-colored down. It is a native of the south of 

 Europe, where it is considered a marine plant. Its name is 

 derived from the Latin word cinere, from its beins' grown on land 

 that was manured with ashes ; in general appearance it resembles 

 a thistle ; there are two or three varieties : first, the oval — in this 

 variety the scales are straight ; the Globe is of a purplish color, 

 and the scales are turned over the flower ; it is propagated by 

 seed and suckers of the old roots : the flower-head is the part 

 most commonly used ; these must be cut before they mature ; 

 they are boiled and the outside scales broken ofi", dipped in drawn 

 butter, and then used similar to asparagus. This is an epicure's 

 dish, requiring more time to eat than most people are willing to 

 devote to it. The young shoots are also boiled and pickled, and 

 the flowers have the property of rennet in curdling milk ; it can 

 also be used in connection with bismuth in dyeing woolen goods 

 a beautiful yellow. The seeds possess a strong vegetating flower, 

 lasting for three or more years. 



Brussels Sprouts. 

 Brussels sprouts, [Brassica Oleracea), a rather singular variety 

 of the cabbage tribe; it sometimes grows to the height of four feet; 

 the stem produces an infinite number of small heads, about the 

 size of a walnut; the top of the stem is surrmounted by a large 

 loose head, similar to the Savoy; in Belgium it takes precedence 



