114 AMERICAN HOME GARDEN. 



CHAPTER XL 



VEGETABLES FOR THE GARDEN. 



Vegetables for the Garden, etc., with Descriptions and Directions for their 

 Culture. Assortment of Seeds for a Family Garden. 



ARTICHOKE. 



French, Artichaut. German, Artischoke. Spanish, Cinauco. Aleachofa. 



PURPLE, GREEN, ETC. 



BRIEF DIRECTIONS. 



Sow thinly, or drop single seeds at a distance of three or 

 four inches in drills one inch deep and twelve inches apart. 

 Keep them perfectly clear of weeds, and hoe them often through- 

 out the season. 



The following spring transplant them into very rich soil, in 

 hills four feet apart each way, setting one, two, or three plants 

 in a hill. Keep them clean and cultivated as before. 



Cover them well with earth or litter for winter. 



Time : sow or transplant in early spring, say April at New 

 York. 



The purple (flowered) or green-globe artichoke resembles a 

 huge thistle-head, formed with broad, thick scales. The heads 

 are cut when of full size, just before blossoming, and being well 

 boiled, are served up with drawn butter. 



The eatable part consists of a thin layer of soft marrowy sub- 

 stance upon the inside of each scale, and the thick, tender, 

 tabular base or bottom upon which the scales and down of the 

 blossom are set. It may be cultivated as a tit-bit for an epi- 

 cure, but would not form a very substantial contribution to a 

 farmer's table. 



It may be raised from seed sown at the opening of spring or 

 from young suckers ; it requires deep rich soil, and the plants 

 or hills should stand at least four feet apart each way. A 

 good winter protection of earth or litter is advisable, to be re- 



