108 



Richard Fsotscher's Almanac and Garden Manual 



It is as a forage or root crop, however, that this Artichoke posses- 

 ses unusual .merit for the farmer. Its habit may be styled self -propa- 

 gating ; for when once established it is almost perpetual ; and this gives 

 it a peculiar value. It will grow on exceedingly poor land and produce 

 well ; while on rich land the yield is enormous. Three bushels of tubers 

 are amply sufficient to plant an acre, the large ones being 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 18 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 improve 

 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 bushels to the 

 acre is only a fair yield ; on very rich land 1500 to 2000 bushels, 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 cattle, 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 carbonacious matter,— starch or its 

 equivalent— they are but a trifle inferior to potatoes, as will be seen 

 from the following table : 



In 1000 parts :— Flesh Formers. Fat Formers. 



Potatoes 14 189 



Carrots. 6. . . • 66 



Parsnips > 12 70 



Mangolds 2 102 



Sugar Beets 3 136 



White Turnips 1 40 



■ Artichokes 10 188 



Thus it will be seen that in 1000 parts, potatoes contain 203 parts of 

 nutriment and artichokes 198 parts ; while turnips contain only 41 parts. 

 Yet the turnip, above all roots, has made English agriculture progressive, 

 because they may be fed on the land without gathering. The artichoke 

 is unaffected in the ground by any amount of cold ; and indeed 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 economical 

 food for hogs that can possibly be grown. And the hogs, if suffered to 

 root them, will be an advantage to them, by breaking up and softening 

 the soil as far down as it is pulverized. Sows with sucMingpigs shouldnot 

 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 Bushel. 



