C Y N 



c y n 



The second species has thick, fleshy, fibry 

 roots, crowned by a considerable cluster of large, 

 erect, deeply-pinnatitid leaves,- four or five feet 

 high, having all the lobes pinnatifid; and thick 

 prickly footstalks ; and amidst them, upright 

 tall stems, terminated by scaly, small heads, 

 furnishing flowers and seed, without any eatable 

 substance, as in the Artichoke. It is. .often bien- 

 nial in this climate. 



Guitars* — These plants are increased without 

 much difficulty, if proper care be taken to pre- 

 serve them from the frosts in winter. 



Culture in the Artichoke Kind. — These sorts of 

 plants succeed best in a soil of the light deep 

 loamy kind, well enriched by stable-dung or some 

 other manure. Where the soil is stiff and wet 

 they are liable to be destroyed in the winter season. 



Their propagation is effected by planting the 

 off-sets, or suckers produced from the old stools 

 or roots, in thccailv spring months, as about the 

 latter end of March, in an open situation, in 

 rows four or five feet apart, and the same di- 

 stances in the rows. The ground should be 

 previously prepared by trenching in the dung to 

 a good spade's depth. 



In planting the off-sets, after being separated 

 from the old plants, they should be trimmed in their 

 leaves and other parts, and be then put in by means 

 of a line and dibble to the depth of three or four 

 inches. Some plant two or three plants in one 

 place, but others only one. The latter is pro- 

 bably the better method, as the plants spread 

 very much. Whichever mode is practised, the 

 earth should be well closed about the sets, and 

 a good watering immediately given, especially 

 if the weather be dry ; repeating it as there may 

 he occasion. 



After this they only require to be kept free 

 from weeds during the summer, which is best 

 performed by hoeing between the rows with a 

 large sharp hoe; and to be protected from frost 

 in the winter. 



When large heads are wanted, all the small 

 lateral ones should be removed as soon as they 

 are formed to any size. In some situations the 

 small lateral crooked heads are, however, held 

 in much esteem, consequently must not be rub- 

 bed off. The maturity of the heads of the Arti- 

 choke is shown by the plates or scales separating 

 from each other considerably. 



In cutting the. heads, six inches of the stem 

 should be preserved to them, and in many cases, 

 when for market, a foot or more. And care should 

 be taken, that as the heads are cut, the stalks be 

 broken down to the bottom and removed, in or- 

 der to promote the growth of new suckers. 



In order to protect the plants during the win- 

 ter from being injured by frost, it is the practice 



of some to earth or mould up the rows of the 

 plants, so as to cover their crowns, forming the 

 earth into a ridge. This is usually done about the 

 latter end of November or beginning of the fol- 

 lowing month, the lower leaves being cut and 

 removed before the work is attempted. The au- 

 thor of the Scotch Forcing Gardener, instead of 

 ridging up the plants, advises, that they should 

 be carefully covered with stable-dung or other 

 litter in the beginning of winter, which he con- 

 siders as better than digging trenches and mould- 

 ing up with the earth from them, as the roots 

 in that way are, he supposes, doubly exposed. 

 Many instances have occurred where the plams 

 managed in that method have been, destroyed, 

 while those well covered by litter have not sus- 

 tained the least injury. 



About the middle of March or beginning of 

 the following month, when the plants have be- 

 gun to shoot, the ridges should be levelled down, 

 removing all the unnecessary shoots, only leav- 

 ing one or two on each plant. This work should 

 be performed when the weather is dry, and the 

 mould be well cleared and removed from the 

 crowns of the plants. 



Where they have been covered with litter, the 

 coarse parts should be removed about the same 

 time, and the more reduced and rotten parts 

 dug in, previously removing the shoots as in the 

 former case, to prevent their being too much 

 crowded, and producing small heads. 



This culture must be repeated every year for 

 the old roots or stools, which should not be 

 suffered to continue more than seven or eight 

 years in the same situation, as they then begin 

 to produce heads that are smaller in size. 



Where successions of this sort of crop are 

 wanted, a few of the best off-sets should be 

 planted every year as soon as possible after be- 

 ing taken off, in the manner that has been di- 

 rected above. This practice not only keeps up 

 the stock of plants, but continues the season 

 of having the produce, as the young plants af- 

 ford their heads much later than the old ones. 



When the off-sets are to be conveyed to a di- 

 stance, they should be carefully packed, eight or 

 ten together, when dry, and bound round with 

 a hay-band, the whole being then placed in a 

 hamper or mat. In this case some advise moist- 

 ening the roots before planting them out. 



The globular-headed sort is the larger and more 

 fleshy, but the green conical-headed the moj;e 

 hardy. 



Culture in the. Cardoon Kind. — This is accom- 

 plished, by sowing the seed in the latter end of 

 April or beginning of May, or later, in the 

 places where the plants are to remain. It is 

 best done by forming trenches at the distance of 



