218 KITCHEN GARDEN. 



readily furnished from the middle of November till the 

 middle of May. 



This vegetable, though not as well known in the 

 United States as it deserves to be, can be raised with 

 very little trouble. The seed may be sown thinly in 

 March or in April, in drills about a foot apart, and 

 -covered about an inch deep. When the plants begin 

 to grow, thin out so as to leave -them at first an inch, 

 and afterwards two or three inches apart. In November, 

 cover the crowns of the roots with earth raised a few 

 riches. Early in the following spring, prepare a bed 

 similar to that intended for asparagus, digging the. soil 

 at least fifteen inches deep. Set out the plants, about 

 two feet apart, the crown of each root being placed 

 about two inches below the level of the bed. The beds 

 will continue to produce as long as those of asparagus, 

 and like this are greatly improved by applications of 

 salt and brine: The plants should not be allowed to 

 go to seed. This vegetable is in season from Christmas 

 to April. 



The Artichoke {Oynara Soohjmus) is a perennial 

 plant, a native of the south of Europe, and a well-known 

 inhabitant of our gardens. It resembles a thistle on a 

 large scale. In France, the entire head or whole leaves 

 of the involucre of the artichoke are eaten, when in a 

 young and tender state, en poivrade, or with pepper, 

 salt, and vinegar ; but in England, the only parts used 

 are the base of the leaves of the calyx, and the imma- 

 ture receptacle, or phoranthium, commonly called the 

 bottom, heQdi from the bristly seed-down which has been 

 called the chohe. The varieties are the Conical or French, 

 the Globe or Red artichoke, and the Dwarf globe. Of 



