6 THE BOOK OF RARER VEGETABLES 
a popular vegetable, and in some parts of the country the 
plant winters badly. In my opinion damp is a greater 
evil than frost, as in the northern part of the country, on 
the Scottish border, we rarely lost a plant in winter, 
whereas here in the south plants die in a wholesale 
manner, new plantations being needed annually. The 
plant is a hardy perennial, a native of the southern parts 
of Europe ; and there are not many varieties in this 
country, though in France, where this vegetable is a 
greater favourite, there are at least half a dozen named 
kinds. The large Purple and the Green are the best 
known, and the round-headed types are much the best, 
those with prickly pointed scales having less substance 
and being less valuable though the growths are doubt- 
less tender. The plant is easily raised from seed ; but 
no dependence can be placed upon plants thus raised, as 
though a few may by chance be good, the greater portion 
will be poor spiny things that have small heads with 
little substance. It is best therefore to rely upon the 
smaller growths — at the base these are produced freely — 
and to make a new quarter every three years. In Italy 
the plants are often made to produce what are termed 
Chards ; that is, the plants are not only grown for their 
flower heads but the leaf or stalk is used after blanching 
in the same way as Cardoons. The plants are cut over 
early and the new leaf growths that form are tied 
together, blanched and used like a Cardoon. This may 
with advantage be followed out in this country when the 
plants begin to fail through age. Previous to their being 
destroyed, they may be made serviceable by giving a crop 
of chards. In Paris the large Green Artichoke is the 
greater favourite. This is called the de Laon, and 
grown beside the ordinary green type it has several 
points in its favour, the one most notable being its suc- 
culent scales. This variety is a great favourite in the 
Paris markets, and early in the season there are consider- 
