™^ 214 



GARDEN YARD ^^^ 



weed, propagating itself indefinitely by means of 

 its straggling, far-reaching, tuber-bearing roots. 

 The only way to cure this damage is by thorough 

 tillage, the first of which consists of fall plowing 

 and the turning of pigs into the patch to root 

 up the tubers. 



The artichoke is more prolific than the potato, 

 and will yield all the way from 250 bushels 

 to 1000 bushels per acre with only ordinary 

 care. For eating, the best variety is the Im- 

 proved White French. The Jerusalem arti- 

 choke is not likely soon to supplant any other 

 garden crop in this country, but it might well 

 become a regular garden crop, as it will grow 

 on land too poor for most other plants, requires 

 little care, yields heavily, and is good food for 

 man and stock. 



SEA-KALE. 



Sea-kale is one of the least known of the peren- 

 nial garden crops, although where it is known 

 it is well hked. It is a low, fleshy-stemmed 

 plant whose shoots and young leaves are blanched 

 and eaten as asparagus is. The plants may be 

 grown from seed ; in which case all but one main 

 stem are to be cut off as soon as they appear; or 

 it may be grown by division of roots. In either 

 case, it is well not to cut from the plant until 



