PROPAGATION. 173 



fornia for use in late winter and early spring when garden 

 supplies are scantiest. It is a garden ornament also with 

 its height of four feet or more, its large, pinnatifid leaves, 

 light green above and whitish below, and its flowers in the 

 style of a colossal thistle head. 



Soil. The globe artichoke will thrive on any well-pre- 

 pared garden soil and does not refuse a pretty heavy 

 adobe if well cultivated to retain moisture. It delights in 

 manure and is benefited by it both in the tenderness of its 

 buds and the multiplication of bearing stems. 



Propagation. The plant grows readily from seed which 

 may be planted either in boxes or the open ground from 

 September to January, if irrigation is available : if not, 

 sow as soon as the ground is deeply moistened by rain. 

 The seedlings may be transplanted to permanent place 

 whenever the ground is suitable the same season.' 



But there is much variation in plants from seed and 

 parts taken from old plants of good type are to be pre- 

 ferred. The plant grows readily from dividing the stool 

 or from suckers detached from the root crown. The latter 

 furnish an excellent means of multiplication and should 

 be secured by first uncovering the stool as soon as there 

 is a good growth of new shoots with well-developed leaves. 

 Remove the shoots carefully with a knife or sharp gouge 

 so as to take a small part of the parent root at the base of 

 the shoot. Many plants can thus be taken from a single 

 root-crown and a few of the best shoots left for growth. 

 Shorten the leaves somewhat to reduce evaporation until 

 new roots are formed. These sprouts can be planted at 

 once in permanent place if the ground is warm and moist 

 and will bear late in the same year. It is possible then by 

 starting new plants at intervals to have a long producing 

 period in each year. The old stools will continue bearing 

 for many years. 



Distance. So free is the growth in this State, it is bet- 

 ter to give a good distance : three feet apart in rows which 

 are four or five feet apart is not too much room for con- 

 venience. As the plant is high and rather dense the rows 



