140 fichard Frotscher’s Almanac and Garden Manual — 
preduce well, while on rich land the yield is enormous. Three bush- 
els of tubers are amply sufficient to plant an acre, the large ones be- 
ing cut into pieces with two or three eyes, like potatoes. The land 
should be thoroughly ploughed, and from January to April they 
should be planted in furrows about three to four feet apart, dropping 
the tubers about eighteen inches apart, and covering with a plough. 
When they are well up, plough them as you would corn; and when 
about a foot high, plough them again, throwing a furrow to each side, 
and you are done cultivating them forever. The first year they will 
yield a good crop (from five to eight hundred bushels), and will im- 
prove for two or three years, if the soil is good, till they double the 
product of the first year. On piney-woods land seven hundred bush- 
els to the acre is only a fair yield. On very rich land 1500 to 2000 bush- 
els, it is said, have been produced. In August the tops may be cut 
and cured for hay, which is quite equal to corn fodder, or may be fed 
green, soiled. The yield is large, and the tops are eagerly eaten by 
eattle, horses and mules. The tops, if cut, should be taken off about a 
foot from the ground. One cutting does not at all affect the yield of 
the tubers. In November the hogs should be turned in to harvest the 
tubers for themselves, and may remain on them till March. In car- 
yonaceous matter—starch or its equivalent—they are but a trifle infe- 
rior to potatoes, as will be seen from the following table: 
In 1000 parts— Flesh Formers. Fat Formers. 
Potatoes aan tates Se PE eee eee ih sae oP 189 
Caprotsinies & sete eee Ree ee Be Se oe eee: 66 - 
Parsnips =o 4) se RISE ce Ses 1 aaa ae: ee ee Rs Fee 70 
Manvolds 3203.40 0 en ee eee 32 OF 
Scar Berets: +) s.c ei Se ee S07 aie a ee ee 13 
White Rurnips <2:--.8 Sse; tee Sees PBS ET oe ce! 40 
ATECROKES eo 2. eee ee LO? oS a eer ee 188 
Thus it will be seen that in 1000 parts potatoes contain 200 parts of 
nutriment, and artichokes 198 parts, while turnips contain only 41 
parts. Yetthe turnip, above all roots, has made English agriculture 
progressive, because they may be fed on land without gathering. The 
artichoke is unaffected in the ground by any amount of cold, and, in- 
deed, should always remain there until gathered for use or planting. 
The enormous yield, the small amount of labor in cultivation, and 
the nutritious character of the tubers, make them the most econom- 
ical food for hogs that can possibly be grown. And the hogs, if suf- 
fered to réot them, will be an advantage to them by breaking up and 
softening the soil as far down as pulverized. Sows with suckling pigs 
should not go on them, as the artichokes are said to injure the quality of 
the milk so as to cause suckling pigs to dwindle; but as soon as they 
are weaned the pigs will do finely by rooting for their living. These 
artichokes are also the healthiest food that hogs can have, and they 
need nothing else but salt, ashes and water when fed on them. 
Price per Qt. per Gall. per Bush. 
