ART 



[79] 



ART 



greatly invigorated by being put into 

 water for three or four hours before they 

 are planted. They should be set in rows 

 four feet and a half by three feet apart, 

 and about half their length beneath the 

 surface. Turn a large flower pot, or a 

 sea-kale pot, over each, and water them 

 abundantly every evening until they are 

 established, as well as during the droughts 

 of summer. The only other attention 

 they require during the summer, is the 

 frequent use of the hoe, and an occasional 

 supply of liquid manure. It is also an 

 excellent plan to have some mulch kept 

 about their roots during dry weather im- 

 mediately after planting, and during the 

 whole summer; and to remove all small 

 weak suckers about June. The plants 

 will produce a succession of heads from 

 July to October of the year they are 

 planted. For about five years they 

 will continue similarly productive during 

 May, June, and July. At the end of five 

 years a fresh bed should be made. 



The artichoke's heads attain a much 

 larger size than they would otherwise by 

 twisting a piece of wire very tightly round 

 the stem, about three inches below each, 

 and thus preventing the reflux of the sap. 

 No vegetable is more benefitted than the 

 artichoke by the application of sea- weed 

 or any other manure containing common 

 salt. " 



To obtain Chards. Those who require 

 chards must make a plantation an- 

 nually, for making the chards destroys 

 the plants. After the best heads have 

 been cut, early in July the leaves are to 

 be cut over within half a foot of the 

 ground; and the stems as low as pos- 

 sible. In September or October, when 

 the new shoots or leaves are about two 

 feet high, they are bound close with a 

 wreath of hay or straw, and earth or 

 litter is drawn round the stems of the 

 plants. The blanching is perfected in a 

 month or six weeks. If the chards are 

 wished late in the winter, the whole 

 plants may be dug up before frost sets 

 in, and laid in sand in their blanched 

 state. In this way they may be kept 

 for several weeks. 



Gobbo. The Italians, to make this, 

 bend the stem of an artichoke down to a 

 right angle, and the stalks of the leaves 

 are bound together, and covered over so 



as to blanch. The result is a lump, 

 which is eaten raw with salt, and is 

 tolerably good. In Italy it is used in 

 the autumn and winter, and replaces 

 radishes. 



Winter Dressing. As soon as a stem 

 is cleared of all its heads in the summer, 

 it should be broken down close to the 

 root ; and early in November the beds 

 should be dressed for the winter. Cut 

 away the old leaves close to the ground, 

 but without injuring the centre or side 

 shoots. Fork over the bed, throwing the 

 earth in a ridge about eight inches high, 

 over each row ; putting it close round 

 each plant, but being careful to keep the 

 heart free from the crumbs of soil. After 

 this has been done, pile round every plant 

 some long litter or pea-haulm, three or 

 four inches thick ; and to keep this from 

 blowing away, as well as to help in pre- 

 serving the roots from severe frosts, cover 

 over the litter, or haulm, two inches 

 deep with coal-ashes. The ashes may be 

 turned into the soil in the spring, being 

 a manure much liked by the artichoke. 



Soil and Situation. The finest heads 

 are produced in a soil abounding in 

 moisture, but in such they will not sur- 

 vive the winter. They should have a 

 rich deep loam allotted to them. Manure 

 must be applied every spring; and the 

 best compost for them is a mixture of 

 three parts well putrefied dung, and one 

 part of fine coal-ashes. They should 

 always have an open exposure, and, above 

 all, be free from the influence of trees ; 

 for, if beneath their shade or drip, the 

 plants spindle, and produce worthless 

 heads. 



INSECT. The leaves of the artichoke 

 are liable to injury by a beetle. See 

 CASSIDA VIRIDIS. 



Saving Seed. Select any number of 

 the earliest and finest heads, and as soon 

 as the flowers begin to decay the heads 

 should be turned and tied downwards, 

 so as to prevent the wet lodging in them, 

 which would rot the seeds. 



ARTOCA'RPUS. Bread-fruit. (From 

 artos, bread, and carpos, fruit. The 

 fruit, baked, resembles bread. Nat. ord., 

 Artocarpads [Artocarpaceae]. Linn., 21- 

 Moncecia, \-Monandria}. In this order we 

 meet with such anomalies as the in- 

 valuable breadfruit-tree of the tropics, 



