ARTICHOKE. 



19 



in summer. Let it have a gentle slope, sufficient to ^:arry off 

 any moisture that might lodge in the trenches between the 

 rows, for that is more injurious to the roots in winter than 

 the severest frost. Lay on a good quantity of rotten dung, 

 and trench the ground eighteen inches deep, incorporating 

 the manure well therewith^ and thoroughly pulverizing 

 the ground in digging ; then proceed to slip off the young 

 shoots from the mother stools, v/ith all the roots and fibres 

 they may have throvvn out, and close the earth about the 

 remaining shoots. These being provided, pull off any loose 

 hanging leaves, and trim the fibres; then plant them with a 

 dibble about four or five inches deep, in rows five feet asun- 

 der, and two feet apart in the row, leaving part of their green 

 tops above ground, and the hearts of the plants free from 

 any earth over them ; be careful also to give each plant a 

 little water to settle the earth about its roots. 



Or, if you have seedling year old plants in a seed bed, 

 you may take them up, and after shortening the tap roots 

 a little, and dressing their leaves, plant them, as above. 



Sdhseqmnt culture. — All spring and summer keep them 

 clear from w^eeds, by occasionally hoeing between the 

 plants ; this, with regular waterings in the dry weather of 

 summer, is all the culture which they require, till the sea- 

 son of production has terminated. They will produce 

 some tolerable heads the same year in August, and thence 

 till November ; next year they will head sooner in full 

 perfection. By having fresh stools planted every year or 

 two, the old and new plantations together furnish a produc- 

 tion of heads from June or July till November. Besides 

 the main head, several smaller lateral heads generally 

 spring from the sides of the stem in succession ; but, in 

 order to encourage the principal head to attain the full size, 

 most of the side suckers should be detached in young 

 growths, when their heads are the size of a large egg, 

 which in that state are also prepared for some tables. As 

 to the continuing main heads, permit them to have full 

 growth till the scales begin to diverge considerably, but 

 gather them before the flowers appear, cutting to each head 

 a part of the stalk. When the entire crop on a stem is 

 taken, cut off the stem close to the ground, to give the 

 plant more strength for new shoots." — Abercrombie, To 

 "Encourage the production of large main heads, some detach 



