ARTICHOKE (FRENCH) 



3 



ARTICHOKE (FRENCH) 



Cynara Scolymus^ L. Composites. 



French, Artichaut. Germany Artischoke. Flemish and Dutch^ Artisjok. Danish^ 

 Artiskok. Italian^ Articiocca, Carciofo. Spanish, Alcachofa. Porttiguese, Alcachofra. 



A native of Barbary and South Europe. — Perennial (but culti- 

 vated plants will not yield profitably after two or three years). — 

 Stem from 3 to 4 ft. high, straight, channelled ; leaves large, about 

 3 ft. long, whitish green above, and cottony underneath, decurrent 

 on the stem, pinnatifid, with narrow lobes ; terminal flowers very 

 large, composed of an assemblage of blue florets, covered with 

 membranous overlapping scales, which, in cultivated plants, are 

 fleshy at the base. Seed oblong, slightly flattened, somewhat 

 angular, gray, streaked or marbled with deep brown. Its 

 germinating power continues for six years. 



Culture. — The Artichoke may be propagated from seed, or 

 by dividing the stools, or from suckers. The last method is that 

 which is most usually employed, as it is the only one by which the 

 different varieties can be reproduced true to their proper character. 

 Old stools of Artichokes produce underground, around the neck, a 

 certain number of suckers or shoots which are intended to replace 

 the stems which flowered the year before. These shoots are gene- 

 rally too numerous on each stem to allow all to grow equally well, 

 and it is the practice, in spring, to uncover, down to below the part 

 from which the shoots issue, the old stools, which during the winter 

 had been protected with a covering of soil or leaves. The shoots 

 are then all detached from the stool, except two or three of the 

 finest, which are allowed to remain to contribute to the crop. The 

 operation of detaching the shoots is one which requires care and 

 a practised hand, for it is important that along with each shoot a 

 portion of the mother-plant (which is called the " heel ") should 

 also be removed, without too severely wounding the old stool, as 

 this might cause it to rot away. The shoots, as soon as they are 

 detached, should be trimmed and dressed with a pruning-knife, 

 so as to remove from the " heel " any parts that are bruised or torn, 

 and to shorten the leaves a little ; the shoots may then be planted 

 permanently. The best soil for a plantation of Artichokes is that 

 which has been well dug, and is rich, deep, almost humid, and at 

 the same time well drained. Low-lying level ground and valley- 

 bottoms in which the soil is black and almost turfy are especially 

 suitable for the cultivation of the Artichoke. 



The shoots are planted in rows, at a distance from each other 

 of from about 2 J ft. to nearly 4 ft. (according to the richness of the 

 soil and the variety grown), and with the same distance between 

 the rows. They are placed firmly in the ground, but not too deep, 

 and then well watered, after which it is only necessary to keep the 

 ground clean by frequent use of the hoe, and to water plentifully 



