Girasole 43 



are not Injured by frost. Planted in autumn or spring. Under 

 regular cultivation, crops have been reported at the rate of 

 9 to 20 tons, and even more, to the acre. 



The girasole is one of the tuber-bearing native sun- 

 flowers, long cultivated by the Indians and often highly 

 recommended for more general cultivation because of its 

 heavy yields and its ability to grow on indifferent land and 

 with little care. It readily responds, however, to good land 

 and treatment. There are improved strains, and undoubt- 

 edly it could be readily modified by systematic selection. 

 The plant tends to become a weed, and farmers often turn 

 hogs into a field infested with it, as they root for the 

 tubers. The plant can be eradicated by thorough till- 

 age, by means of which the tops do not have an oppor- 

 tunity to grow. If the field is plowed in the fall, many 

 of the roots will be exposed and they may be picked out. 

 In fact, this is one of the best means of harvesting the 

 crop. 



The girasole provides a very palatable food. It is strange 

 that it has not met with better favor. The weedy charac- 

 ter of the plant and the fact 

 that potatoes have been abun- 

 dant are probably reasons for 

 its neglect. Its real service, 

 however, is not in competi- 

 tion with the potato, but as Girasole. an^ underground tuber 



another food plant of very 



distinct attributes. The tubers, produced underground, 

 vary greatly in size and shape; Fig. 13 shows a common 

 form. 



The girasole is commonly known as Jerusalem arti- 



