68 
Practical  Hints  on  Veffetalde  Farming. 
But  although  they  rely  upon  well-tried  friends,  they  are 
not  prejudiced  against  new  ones,  or  those  with  satisfactory 
credentials  ; consecpiently  market  gardeners,  and  fanners  who 
combine  some  market  gardening  with  their  farming,  are  a 
progressive  class,  though  the  progress  of  a few  individuals 
may  be  but  slow. 
Without  further  preface  I propose  to  describe  some  of  the 
principal  vegetable  crops,  and  the  cultivation  suited  to  each 
of  them.  For  convenience  of  reference  they  are  placed  in 
alphabetical  order.  The  illustrations  are  reproductions  of 
photographs  of  cro})s  grown  at  the  Worcestershire  County 
Council’s  Experimental  Garden  at  Droitwich,  and  they  should 
be  studied  in  conjunction  with  the  special  experiments  of  which 
the  results  are  given  on  pages  98  and  99. 
Description  of  Vegetables. 
Artichokes. — The  so-called  Jerusalem  Artichoke  grows  from 
six  to  ten  feet  high ; it  is  very  accommodating  as  to  soil,  is  easy 
of  culture,  and  it  may  be,  and  frequently  is,  planted  where 
many  other  crops  would  fail.  It  is  also  planted  in  situations 
where  a screen  is  desirable  during  the  months  of  summer  and 
autumn.  Its  stalks  and  leaves  form  excellent  forage  for  cattle; 
and  the  tubers  are  much  relished  by  many  persons,  though 
disliked  by  others. 
The  details  of  culture  are  few  and  simple: — Plant  at  any 
convenient  time  from  November  to  the  end  of  March.  Select 
tubers  of  good  shape — ill-shaped  tubers  produce  ill-shaped 
progeny — and  plant  u})on  well-tilled  ground  in  almost  any 
position  that  is  desired.  The  rows  should  be  thirty  inches  apart, 
and  the  plants  fifteen  to  eighteen  inches  apart  in  the  rows;  the 
tubers  should  be  planted  four  inches  deep. 
Globe  Artichokes  may  be  propagated  either  from  seed  or 
by  division.  The  latter  is  the  method  usually  adopted  where  a 
stock  of  it  exists.  The  plant  has  a tendency  to  deteriorate  in 
vigour  after  several  years’  cultivation  ; hence  it  is  advisable  to 
make  a new  ]>lantation  every  two  or  three  years.  This  is  easily 
done  by  dividing  the  old  plants  and  replanting  upon  deeply  dug 
and  well-manured  ground.  Plant  in  rows  four  feet  asunder, 
and  three  feet  from  plant  to  plant  in  the  row. 
Where  there  are  no  old  plants  to  be  divided,  a stock  of 
plants  may  easily  be  raised  from  seed.  Sow  the  seed  in  March, 
on  rich  soil,  and  in  drills  one  to  two  inches  deep,  and  twelve 
inches  apart.  Transplant  the  seedlings,  when  large  enough  to 
