THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



245 



For the Southern Planter. 

 JERUSALEM ARTICHOKE. 



Mr. Editor, — In your paper (the Southern 

 Planter, Vol. III. No. 4, page 1,) is an article 

 on the cultivation and value of the Jerusalem 

 Artichoke, (Heleanthus Tuberosus.) If you 

 have that paper I would like for you to publish 

 it again in the Southern Planter, and state un- 

 der the piece that I have a crop of them now 

 growing and if any person wishes to give them 

 a trial they can be supplied with seed any time 

 between now and the next spring. They may 

 be planted any time from now until the first of 

 March. For the information of those who are 

 not acquainted with them, and perhaps might 

 suppose that they are the common round arti- 

 choke growing generally in this section of coun- 

 try, I would state that they are quite a different 

 root, resembling the Spanish or sweet potato 

 and the color of the yam potato. I have for 

 several years wished to procure seed, but have 

 been unable until last winter to do so. A gen- 

 tleman living in Nash county, North Carolina, 

 brought a small quantity from Tennessee a few 

 years back, in his carriage ; from them he raised a 

 crop, whence I got mine. I have been told that 

 they are much prized in Tennessee and Alaba- 

 ma for their great profit in raising and fattening 

 hogs. If they be of so much value in those 

 countries where corn is raised so plentifully and 

 sells so low, of how much more value ought 

 they to be in this country where corn is so much 

 dearer. The artichoke is the easiest crop to 1 

 cultivate of any that is made by ploughing and 

 hoeing — and after they are made there is no 

 risk in losing, for the place where they grow is 

 the best to preserve them through the winter, 

 and turning the hogs on them, saves the trouble 

 of digging. 



Very respectfully, 



Nath'l Mason. 

 Summit Depot, Northampton, N. C. 



In compliance with this request, we re-publish 

 the following : 



"From the fact, that many inquiries have 

 been made of late in relation to this very re- 

 markable and useful plant, I am disposed to 

 speak a few things of its culture and uses. — 

 The Jerusalem artichoke is a native of the 

 warmer parts of America, and of course was 

 unknown in Europe till after the discoveries in 

 this country by Columbus and his coadjutors. 

 Since that time it has been cultivated to consi- 

 derable extent on the continent as well as in 

 Great Britain, but the reports of its profits have 

 considerably varied, in that, as well as this 

 country. In the Old World some have culti- 

 vated it to afford shade to the game ; others 

 have converted the stocks and leaves into fodder 



for cattle, and others again, have encouraged its 

 growth for the tubers alone. In this country 

 there are two important objects to be kept in 

 mind in raising artichokes; 1st. The improve- 

 ment of land ; 2dly. The use of the tubers. — 

 However, the first matter is the cultivation, and 

 I begin with 



"1. *S'o27.~- Almost any kind of land will pro- 

 duce artichokes, and it is remarkable, that they 

 will grow in the shade, that is, under trees, or 

 in fence corners very well indeed. Land, how- 

 ever, with a tolerably good sandy mould will 

 give the most abundant crop. Low, wet, soils, 

 and very tenacious clay are not so suitable. 



" 2. Preparation of Land. — The ground should 

 be broken as for corn, that is to say, one good, 

 deep ploughing, and a thorough harrowing will 

 answer the purpose admirably. 



" 3. Laying Out. — Rows laid off four feet 

 each way with a bull's tongue or shovel plough, 

 in most soils, will be the proper distance. 



"4. Quantity of Seed. — From four to five 

 bushels will be required to the acre, and unless 

 the long roots are broken to pieces of three or 

 four joints, or eyes each, this quantity will not 

 be enough. 



11 5. Manner of Planting. — Drop one root at 

 each cross of the. plough and cover from one to 

 two or three inches with a harrow, hoe, or 

 plough. 



" 6. Cultivation. — So soon as the young plants 

 appear, run round them, with a cultivator, har- 

 row or light plough to destroy the young weeds, 

 and loosen the earth. Keep the ground free of 

 weeds and open to the influence of the atmos- 

 phere, till the plants are about three feet high, 

 when they should be laid by, by the use of a 

 cultivator; or in the absence of a cultivator^ 

 and when the land has been ploughed, the har- 

 row should pass both w r ays to leave the ground 

 loose and the surface level. Generally, about 

 the same cultivation given to corn will answer 

 well for artichokes. 



" 7. Digging. — This is the most troublesome 

 job in the management of this crop ; and if the 

 hoe is the dependance, the labor will be very 

 tedious. The better plan, is to lay off a land 

 as for breaking up the ground, so soon as the 

 frost has killed the under leaves of the stocks. 

 The plough should run from six to nine inches 

 deep and let the hands, big and little, pass di- 

 rectly after the plough, to pick up, that none of 

 the roots may be covered by the next furrow. 



" 8. Yield. — The produce to the acre is va- 

 riously estimated from five hundred to one thou- 

 sand bushels, and it is probable the turn out on 

 medium land would be nearer the latter than 

 the former. 



"9. Uses. — In England and other parts of 

 Europe, the tubers have been considered quite 

 a delicacy for man, and without doubt they 

 make the most beautiful pickle. But their chief 



