ARTICHOKE. 



217 



the plants three feet in the rows. Plants from seed are 

 better and more permanent than from off-sets. 



If propagated by suckers these must be slipped off early 

 in spring from the parent plant, retaining as many fibrous 

 roots as possible. They should be selected when eight or 

 ten inches high, and from those shoots which are sound 

 but not woody. The brown hard part next the old stem 

 must be removed, and if that cuts crisp and tender, the 

 plant is good ; if it is tough and stringy, throw the shoot 

 avray as worthless. Further, the large outside leaves 

 must be removed, so that the heart appears above them, or 

 their exhalations will exhaust the plant before it gets 

 rooted. They are greatly invigorated if set in water three 

 or four hours before they are planted. Set them in rows 

 the same distance as above, with about half their length 

 beneath the surface ; water them abundantly until estab- 

 lished and also during summer droughts. The only other 

 attention they require during the summer, is the frequent 

 use of the hoe. They will produce heads the same year 

 from June to October, and annually thereafter from April 

 to June or July, according to the season. The quality is 

 improved, though at the expense of the quantity, by allow- 

 ing only the head surmounting the main stem to grow on 

 each stalk, removing all the laterals of the stem while 

 young. As often as the head is cut, the stem should be 

 broken down close to the root to encourage the production 

 of suckers before winter. They should receive their win- 

 ter dressing early in December. Out away the old leaves 

 without injuring the centre or side shoots, dig the ground 

 over and throw the soil in a low broad ridge over each row 

 putting it close about the plants, but leaving the hearts 

 clear. As soon as the shoots appear four or five inches 

 above the surface, the ridges thrown up must be levelled 

 and the earth removed from about the stock to below the 

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