JERUSALEM ARTICHOKE. 127 



dates, ginger, sack, raisins, &c. ; and so made they 

 must have been a dainty dish indeed. 



The modern way of cooking these roots is to boil 

 them in water till they become tender, when, after 

 being peeled, and stewed with butter and a little 

 wine, they will be as pleasant as real artichoke 

 bottoms, which they nearly resemble both in taste 

 and flavour. However, on account of their watery 

 qualities they will never be in much repute, 

 though they may fill up a gap as a side dish at the 

 table. 



Culture. Throughout the whole tribe of culi- 

 nary vegetables there is none that requires so little 

 labour in their cultivation as the J. artichoke ; for 

 the smallest offset, when put into the ground and 

 rooted, will soon multiply into hundreds, and when 

 once established they are with difficulty cleared out 

 of the land. 



They are propagated by either planting the small 

 roots, or dividing the large ones into offsets, with 

 an eye or two attached, in a similar manner to the 

 potato ; they may be planted any time in March, 

 in a light mellow soil, in any recluse corner of the 

 garden, previously trenched a foot or fifteen inches 

 deep. They should be planted in rows three feet 

 apart, and about one foot in the row ; and to have 

 fine roots they should be taken up and replanted 

 every year. The stems grow to a considerable 

 height, and have the appearance of the sunflower, 

 only that in this country they do not blossom. 



About the latter end of September the roots or 

 tubers will be sufficiently ripened for use, and to- 

 wards the end of November a quantity may be 



