THE KITCHEN GARDEN. 



of April and May in each year, by removing strong 

 young suckers or side-growths from around the base 

 of aged plants or " stools," transplanting precisely as 

 advised for seedlings above. The flower-heads are 

 fit for use just before they show symptoms of open- 

 ing so as to show the actual florets within. The 

 heads cut when young, but of good size, wUl keep 

 for ' a short time in a cool place. Subsequent 

 attention required by them consists of occasional 

 hoeing during summer, the removal of the lesser 

 blooms upon stalks which grow more than two, and 

 the cutting away of such stalks immediately the 

 crop is secured. During the month of October cut 

 away many of the aged leaves, and place a few inches 

 of tree-leaves or other protective litter around them 

 and over the root-base. Remove this protection 

 early ia the month of March of the following year. 

 Select three or four of the strongest shoots from 

 amongst the many to be found upon each plant, and 

 remove all others. To do this, remove some of the 

 soil fi-om each plant, and cut the useless ones out. 

 Place a layer of manure over the roots exposed in 

 the process, and replace the soil over such in its 

 former place, using the finest to place between and 

 immediately around each young shoot so retained. 



Two distinct varieties exist, known as the Green 

 Globe and Purple Globe. The former is more 

 conical- shaped than the latter, and is known as the 

 '■French" variety. 



Artichokes, Jerusalem [BeUanthus tuberoszis). 

 French, Topinambour. — The origin of the name 

 " Jerusalem " as applied to this plant is hidden in 

 doubt, though it is most generally inferred that it 

 is derived from Girasole, its Italian name. The 

 plant is a native of Brazil, but is perfectly hardy in 

 Britain. It flourishes in and deserves a rich loamy 

 soil. "When grown in such the tubers produced 

 are beyond comparison larger and better than such 

 as are obtainable in the too customary slip-shod 

 manner of growing them. 



No better plan can be followed in planting sets 

 than such as is so universally practised in connection 

 with the potato. No kind of manure should, how- 

 ever, be applied to them at any stage of growth. It 

 causes excessive stem and leaf growth at the expense 

 of large and good tubers. Small or medium-sized 

 tubers should always be planted. For this reason it 

 is better to cut large ones in two, and plant halves 

 only as single sets. Planting may be done in Oc- 

 tober, or during Februai-y and March. It is impor- 

 tant, however, not to defer this operation until too 

 late. Spring growth cannot commence too early 

 in view of insuring good crops. 



It is a common practice to plant them in some 

 out-of-the-way comer of the garden, owing to the 



fact that young tubers persist in growing after once 

 they have occupied any given space of gxound. 

 These can be readily uprooted, however; hence no 

 sufiicient justification remains for not giving them 

 such good culture as they certainly deserve. 



Care should be taken not to cut down the' ripening 

 stalks too early in the autumn. It is during the 

 ripening process of these stems that the tubers attain 

 to their full size, which they cannot do if deprived of 

 them prematurely. The tubers should not, as a rule, 

 be dug up and stored away, as is customary. By 

 doing so they entirely lose that freshness which is so 

 prominent a feature in all home-grown vegetables. 



Plant the " sets " four inches deep, and slightly 

 mould up the young g-rowing plants when about six 

 inches high. 



Asparagus (Asparagus officinalis). French, As- 

 perge ; German, Spargel ; Spanish, Esparagos. — It is 

 to be regretted that asparagus is looked upon so much 

 in the Hght of aluxiu-y, and not of an ordinary vege- 

 table. Wherever moderately good garden ground, 

 with moderate exposure, exists, annual crops may be 

 secured, with no more trouble than is usually needful 

 in the case of all which are known or considered as 

 ordinary vegetable crops. The fact is that when this 

 plant was first placed under garden culture a system 

 was originated, which has gained precedence, almost 

 exclusively, to this date. To this idea must be at- 

 tributed the belief that without costly prepared beds, 

 and expensive attendance subsequently, no good re- 

 sults could be obtained. We give the older method 

 first, and then a far simpler way of growing it. 



On the old plan, one or more beds are rcqiiisite, 

 each four and a half feet wide, with intervening- 

 alleys not less than two feet wide. , According to 

 the number of beds to be planted, so must the ground 

 be marked out. The whole must first be trenched 

 thirty inches deep or more, as the nature of tlic 

 subsoil permits. During the process of trenching 

 well-seasoned manure must be added to the bottom 

 and centre, as well as a goodly dressing dug into 

 the surface. This work should, if possible, be per- 

 formed during the month of February or March. 



The whole being trenched and manured, lay out 

 the beds to the required size, with allej'S between, 

 elevating the beds at this stage slightly above the 

 alleys. The proper time to plant seedling plants is 

 when they are just commencing to grow, a process 

 which varies with the seasons. Draw a line along 

 the bed lengthwise, from end to end, nine inches 

 from the side. With a rake or hoe form a drill for a 

 row of young plant roots. Lay the plants therein, 

 with their apices near to the line, from eight to nine 

 inches apart, spreading the roots out straight from 

 the centres ; then cover over to a depth sufficient to 



