802 €7 ESCULENTS. SECT. XV. 



April, taken from the mother plant, by drawing the 

 mould afide. As they require a rich foil, and are 

 ftationary plants, dig a good quantity of dung* in com- 

 pletely bekzv the roots for them to ftrike into, breaking 

 the foil well with it. 



The head of the artichoke is valuable according to 

 its fize and fubftance, and therefore to a good foil, add 

 good room: for though they may be planted nearer, 

 yet they would do much better in rows fix feet afunder, 

 and three feet apart in the rows. Between thefe rows 

 may be propagated feveral forts of fpring or early 

 fummer crops. They will reward the trouble of 

 being regularly watered in dry weather ; fuffer them to 

 bear only one principal head. Frefh plantations fhouid 

 be made every third or fourth year, to have them m 

 perfeftion. Every year that they ftand after planting 

 they fhouid be dug deeply round, and fome well con- 

 fumed manure applied. Cut the heads when the leaves 

 begin to expand, and before the center opens for 

 flowering; and let them have about a foot of llalk, 

 Breaking the remaining part of the ftem down to the 

 bottom, that it may not rob the root by a wafte of fap. 

 At the fpring dreffing, all the fuckers are to be taken 

 off, leaving three only of the ftrongeft fhoots to fruit. 

 Thofe without roots will grow by planting deep, and 

 £ eeping moift. 



* Let the plants be protested from hard fro/is; at the 

 profpeft of which, cut down the ftalks and outfide 

 leaves to the inner ones, dig between, and earth the 

 plants to near the tops; and if fevere weather follows, 

 they fhouid be covered thick with liraw, which muft 

 be removed when the froft goes. The earthing-up 

 need not be levelled down till March, or may be let 

 alone till the time of their dreffing, which is beft done 

 at the beginning of April. If uncovered early, let 

 the litter lay by ready in cafe of froft to cover again. 



To have a long fuccejjwi of artichokes, fome flips 

 fhouid be planted at two different times every fpring, 



as 



