ARTICHOKE. 23 



with male children, as well as to sweeten the 

 breath of those who chewed it. Columella 

 notices the same quality in the artichoke, 

 but intimates that it injures the voice. 



" Let the prickly artichoke 



Be planted, which to Bacchus, when he drinks, 

 Is grateful ; not to Phoebus, when he sings." 



Both the Greeks and Romans appear to 

 have procured /this plant from the coast of 

 Africa about Carthage, as also from Sicily. 



From Italy it was brought to this country, 

 during the reign of Henry the Eighth, about 

 the year 1548 ; and, by reason of the great 

 moisture of our climate, and the attention 

 which was paid to its cultivation, it soon be- 

 came so much improved in size and flavour, 

 that the Italians sent for plants from Eng- 

 land, deeming them to be of another kind, 

 but they soon returned to their natural size, 

 when restored to that country. 



Gerard has left us correct representations 

 of both the French and the Globe varieties, 

 but makes no mention of their country or 

 their introduction ; we may therefore con- 

 clude, that they were become common in 

 1596. 



The Globe kind, being a plant infinitely 

 more tender than the French artichoke, was 



