CHAPTER III. 



AUTICHOKE. 



Cynara scolymus. 



There are only two varieties of this vegetable 

 that are grown in the gardens of this country — the 

 common green, and green globe. The latter is of 

 better quality, and gives more edible part in propor- 

 tion to the bulk of the heads than the common kind. 



The Artichoke is propagated from seed, or by 

 suckers, when the plants are once established. The 

 seed should be sown in a moderate hot-bed about the 

 1st to the 10th of March, and, with proper care, the 

 plants will be large and strong enough to transplant 

 into the open ground by the 1st of May. They are 

 rank feeders, and succeed best when planted in an 

 open situation, in a deep, rich loam. Unless the 

 weather is very moist when they are transplanted, 

 they should be freely watered for a week or two 

 after having been set out. 



Suckers from the old plants should be taken off 

 early in April, keeping as much of the fibrous roots 

 as possible with the detached plants. Before plant- 

 ing they must be carefully trimmed, removing all 

 the outside leaves. Plants put out in the Spring, 

 3x3, will produce heads in July, and continue to do 

 so until the 1st of JSTovember. As soon as the head 



