Jerusalem Artichoke 



447 



the edible part is the large unopened flower -head; the 

 young shoots are also sometimes blanched and eaten 

 as salads. It is often known as the globe or bur arti- 

 choke. 



The Jerusalem artichoke is little prized in this 

 country as a garden vegetable, although it is so exceed- 

 ingly productive and thrives under such adverse condi- 

 tions that it might be made to supply a considerable 



Fig. 143. Globe artichoke seedlings. Two-thirds natural size. 



amount of food. The tubers may be eaten raw or 

 cooked. It has a tendency to become a weed in waste 

 places, spreading inveterately by means of its long un- 

 derground, tuber-bearing stems. In poorly cultivated 

 lands, the plant is likely to spread rather than to 

 diminish because the tubers are severed and transported 

 by the cultivator. If the plant becomes a weed, it may 

 be eradicated by thorough tillage, by means of which 

 the tops do not have an opportunity to grow. If the 

 field is plowed in the fall, many of the roots will be 

 exposed and they may be picked out. In fact, this is 

 one of the best means of harvesting the crop. Swine 



