174 THE BOOK OF USEFUL FlaNTS 



if the ground freezes hard as it does in our north- 

 ern states. 



JERUSALEM ARTICHOKE 



The American Indians learned — who knows 

 how long ago? — that a certain wild sunflower 

 produces rootstocks like those of the dahlia, and 

 the sweet potato, underground. The interesting 

 thing about these tubers is that, roasted or boiled, 

 they are good to eat. When the white men came 

 they learned from friendly Indians to dig up the 

 nourishing wild roots and cook them as they did 

 potatoes. I do not know when or where the plant 

 came to be called the "Jerusalem artichoke." 

 It is not very close, botanically speaking, to the 

 globe artichoke, and the edible parts of the two 

 plants set them still farther apart than do their 

 composite flowers. 



It seems a pity that we Americans take so little 

 pains to get acquainted with vegetables that are 

 not as familiar already as beans. We have no 

 patience to like a new kind with a strange 

 flavor. We compare this artichoke with the 

 potato, and declare it inferior. So it may be, 

 but why compare it with that highly improved 

 species? 



The French cook will roast or boil these 



