HISTORY 



OF 



CULTIVATED VEGETABLES 



ARTICHOKE.— CINARA. 



Natural order ', Flosculosce. A genus of the 

 Syngenesia Polygamia JEqualis class. 



The generic name is said to be derived from 

 the word cinis, because, according to Colu- 

 mella, land for artichokes should be manured 

 with ashes. Parkinson says, it is so called 

 from the ash colour of its leaves. 



This vegetable now bears the same name 

 in all the European languages, with very 

 little variation. It is nearly allied to the 

 curduus or common thistle, and is said by 

 Pliny* to have been more esteemed, and to 

 have obtained a higher price, than any other 

 garden herb. He was ashamed to rank this 



* Book 19, chap. 8. 



