10 



THE VEGETABLE GARDEN 



JERUSALEM ARTICHOKE* 



Helianthus tubej'osus, L. Compositce. 



French, Topinambour. German, Erdapfel, Fiejiiisk, Aardpeer. Danish, Jordskokken. 

 Italian, Girasole del Canada, Tartufoli. Spanish, Namara, Po7'tuguese, Topinambor. 



Native of North America. — Perennial. — A tall plant, with annual 



stems, but producing, year 

 after year, underground 

 shoots which are swollen 

 into genuine tubers. It 

 was introduced into Europe 

 some centuries ago, and is 

 very generally cultivated on 

 a large scale. The stem is 

 erect and very stout, some- 

 times over 6\ ft. high, often 

 branching in the lower part, 

 and bearing oval-acuminate 

 leaves, which are long 

 stalked and very rough to 

 the touch ; flower - heads 

 comparatively small, seldom 

 opening in the north of 

 France before October ; 

 florets yellow; tubers violet- 

 red, slender at the bottom, 

 and swollen in the upper part, where they are about 2 in. in diameter, 

 marked with hollows and scale-like 

 enlargements. They form very late, 

 and should not be dug until the stems 

 have nearly ceased growing. The 

 flesh is sweet and rather watery. 



Culture. — The tubers are planted 

 in the open ground, in March or April, 

 in rows 2\ to 3 ft. or more apart, and 

 with a distance of 12 to 14 in. between 

 the tubers. The plants require no 

 attention beyond the occasional use 

 of the hoe, and the tubers are dug as 

 they are wanted. They are not affected 

 by frost as long as they are left in the 

 ground, but are very liable to be in- 

 jured if exposed to it after they are 

 taken up. In warm countries the 

 plant produces seed, from which it can 

 be propagated. Experiments made 

 with the view of raising improved 



* See also p. 758. 



Jerusalem Artichoke (-^ natural size). 



Improved Yellow Jerusalem 

 Artichoke. 



