V . ARTICHOKE. 



roots reach stagnant water, or any soil which they do 

 not like, the plants begin to give out ; but other- 

 wise, they will keep bearing for a great number of years. 

 The next spring, that is to say, the second spring after 

 having been planted out, you will find that they have 

 sent out great numbers of side-shoots or offsets 3 you 

 should, therefore, move the earth away a little round the 

 clump, and take off these offsets, which would otherwise 

 prevent the great bearing of the plant. When you take off 

 these offsets, you will find some very stout,while othersjwill 

 be very weak ; and, if you want a new plantation, these 

 offsets are as good plants as any j and, if stout, they will 

 bear the first year, but, and very conveniently, they will 

 come into bearing after the old plants have done. The 

 artichoke, although so robust a plant, is very sensible of 

 the frost. Therefore, each clump should have the earth 

 drawn up pretty much about it in the fall of the year, 

 but in dry weather if possible, and, in very severe wea- 

 ther, some litter should be laid on the top of each clump, 

 being always taken off as soon as the frost is completely 

 out of the ground. In the spring, the whole of the 

 ground ought to be carefully dug, and the earth levelled 

 down from the sides of the clumps ; the offsets should 

 now be taken off, and the plants left to produce their 

 crop. The rows of plants being five feet apart, affords 

 an opportunity for planting other things between them ; 

 but, this can hardly be done to any great advantage 

 except you be in very great want of room j for, what you 

 gain in this way, you lose by the imperfect culture of the 

 artichokes. They love cool ground, though, not stagnant 

 water at the bottom ; and, perhaps, the best situation 

 for them would be under the South side hedge of the 



