48G 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
June  15,  1893. 
place.  The  ground  should  be  trenched,  preferably  in  the  autumn  or 
winter,  to  allow  it  to  settle  before  planting  time  in  the  spring,  and 
must  not  be  less  than  18  inches  or  2  feet  deep.  To  accommodate  one 
row  of  plants  a  Avidth  of  4  or  5  feet  should  be  allowed,  a  quantity  of 
good  manure  and  wood  ashes  being  well  incorporated  with  the  soil 
during  trenching  operations.  Seaweed  is  a  good  manure,  and  is  much 
used  by  those  living  near  the  coast. 
The  position  allotted  to  the  plants  should  be  an  open  one,  away 
from  the  influence  of  large  trees.  If  a  warm  and  sheltered  border  can 
be  spared  for  a  few  plants,  heads  may  be  cut  several  days  earlier 
than  from  those  in  a  more  exposed  situation.  In  some  gardens 
Artichokes  are  planted  in  odd  corners  and  out  of  the  way  places,  but 
the  best  results  cannot  be  secured  by  this  method.  It  is  a  better  plan 
to  have  them  all  together  where  room  can  be  spared,  so  that  they  can 
be  more  conveniently  attended  to  in  the  matter  of  watering,  cutting 
for  use,  and  protecting  from  frost  during  the  Avinter.  In  many  gardens 
there  are  borders  or  narroAv^  strips  of  ground  outside  the  garden  proper 
Avhich  may  often  be  irsed  for  this  purpose. 
Planting  should  take  place  in  March,  Avhen  the  AA'eather  is  favour¬ 
able.  I  am  aware  that  this  is  earlier  than  many  recommend,  but  I 
find  the  earlier  planted  grow  stronger,  as  they  get  well  established 
before  the  hot  dry  Aveather  sets  in.  The  usual  Avay  is  to  plant  suckers 
from  the  old  stools,  selecting  those  that  have  abundance  of  fibrous 
roots,  although  almost  any  little  piece  Avill  grow  if  there  is  a  root  at 
all.  I  have  taken  suckers  as  early  as  they  could  be  obtained  in  s|)ring, 
and  established  them  in  pots  before  planting,  but  have  found  little  if 
any  advantage  by  so  doing.  It  is  the  practice  of  some  growers  to 
pAt  suckers  in  the  autumn,  protect  in  a  cold  frame  during  winter, 
and  plant  out  in  spring,  and  no  doubt  by  this  method  heads  may  be 
cut  earlier  than  from  suckers  detached  in  spring.  They  should  not 
be  planted  less  than  4  feet  apart,  and  a  little  more  room  may  be 
allowed  between  the  roAvs. 
It  is  advisable  to  put  a  stake  to  each  plant,  and  tie  the  leaves 
loosely  to  it,  which  will  protect  them  from  being  broken  by  strong 
winds  and  rain,  until  they  become  established.  Should  dry  Aveather 
follow  planting  Avater  must  be  given  occasionally  ;  a  thin  mulch  of 
manure  Avill  also  greatly  benefit  the  plants.  The  only  attention 
required  during  the  summer  is  the  frequent  use  of  the  Dutch  hoe, 
with  copious  supplies  of  water  in  dry  Aveather.  The  plants  will  then 
produce  a  succession  of  heads  during  later  summer  and  well  on  into 
the  autumn.  In  the  case  of  established  plants,  Avhen  the  protecting 
material  is  removed  in  the  spring,  a  coating  of  manure  should  be 
given,  and  lightly  dug  in.  Liquid  manure  may  also  be  applied,  and 
subsequently  during  the  summer,  for  this  crop  well  repays  liberal 
treatment.  A  dressing  of  salt  can  be  applied  at  the  rate  of  3  or  4  ozs. 
to  the  scpiare  yard  at  the  time  it  is  first  applied  to  Asparagus  beds, 
and  occasionally  during  the  summer.  It  need  hardly  be  said  that  the 
salt  is  more  beneficial  on  light  than  heavy  soils. 
If  the  plants  have  been  properly  cared  for  during  the  winter,  small 
ht-ads  may  be  cut  as  early  as  the  middle  of  IVIay  in  a  forward  season. 
Last  year  our  first  cutting  Avas  on  May  14th ;  in  the  south,  no  doubt, 
they  may  be  ready  earlier  than  this.  This  season  they  are  much 
later.  M  e  have  not  yet  any  ready,  the  first  week  in  June.  It  has 
been  a  cold  spring,  and  all  crops  are  correspondingly  late. 
I  or  general  purposes  medium-sized  heads  are  best.  If,  hoAA^ever, 
Aery  large  ones  are  required  for  exhibition  or  other  purposes,  the  small 
lateral  heads  may  be  thinned.  It  is  said  to  be  the  practice  of  some 
groAvers  to  tAVist  a  piece  of  Avire  round  the  stem  about  3  inches  below 
the  head  to  increase  the  size,  but  not  having  tried  the  plan  I  cannot 
speak  from  experience.  The  heads  should  be  cut  as  soon  as  they 
become  of  a  serviceable  size,  as  if  allowed  to  remain  long  the  plants 
are  greatly  exhausted.  Artichokes  Avill  keep  for  some  considerable 
time  if  laid  in  a  cool  place,  although  they  will  deteriorate  in  quality. 
A  feAv  heads  may  occasionally  be  cut  late  in  the  autumn  from 
established  plants,  but  to  get  a  plentiful  supply  as  late  as  the 
middle  or  end  of  November  it  is  best  to  groAV  a  few  plants  annually 
froin  seed.  It  has  already  been  noticed  that  the  produce  of  the 
majority  of  seedling  plants  is  inferior,  the  heads  being  very  long 
and  spiny,  and  the  scales  thin.  All  the  same  these  weak  points 
cannot  be  CA'erlooked  Avhen  by  this  method  the  season  may  be  pro¬ 
longed  for  several  Aveeks  and  Artichokes  may  be  had  for  nearly  half 
the  vear. 
The  proper  time  to  soav  the  seed  is  in  February,  in  heat.  As  soon 
as  the  plants  are  large  enough  they  must  be  pricked  off  into  small 
pots.  Perhaps  a  better  plan  is  to  sow  two  or  three  seeds  in  small 
pots,  and  as  soon  as  it  can  be  determined  which  is  likely  to  make  the 
best  plant  the  others  can  be  removed.  They  must  be  transferred  to 
larger  pots  as  soon  as  necessary,  hardened,  and  planted  out  in  May. 
The  position  should  have  been  prepared  some  time  previously.  The 
plants  may  be  put  in  singly  at  2  feet  apart,  or  in  clumps  of  three  at 
4  feet  asunder.  Slight  protection  must  be  afforded  from  late  frosts 
.and  cold  winds,  and  for  this  purpose  a  few  small  half  dead  Spruce 
branches  stuck  in  the  ground  will  be  suitable.  Water  should  be  given 
iiberally  in  dry  weather,  as  Avell  as  a  mulching  of  manure.  If  the 
season  is  favourable  they  will  flower  in  the  autumn  and  produce  heads 
until  the  middle  or  end  of  November. 
When  the  heads  are  all  cut.  the  plants  may  be  destroyed,  or  allowed 
to  remain  for  a  second  year,  Avhen  the  produce  will  be  much  greater. 
If  it  is  intended  for  jfiants  to  remain  more  than  one  year,  it  Avill  be 
best  to  plant  singly  4  feet  apart,  as  seedlings  groAv  very  strongly 
the  second  year.  It  is  generally  known  that  the  Artichoke  is  not 
hardy,  and  requires  some  protection  during  the  winter.  Wlien  this 
receiA^es  proper  attention,  the  plants  grow  much  better,  and  produce 
heads  earlier.  8ome  growers  are  in  the  habi;  of  cutting  off  the  outer 
leaves,  but  this  I  think  is  a  mistake,  unless  they  are  decayed,  or  broken 
about  so  as  to  be  of  no  use  to  the  plant.  One  sometimes  sees  them  cut 
off  altogether,  but  this  must  greatly  injure  the  stools,  and  retard  growth- 
in  spring.  Utter  from  the  stables,  leaves,  bracken,  and  sometimes 
mats  are  used  for  protection.  At  one  time  I  used  litter,  but  found  it 
anything  but  satisfactory.  It  may  do  verv  Avell  where  it  can  be- 
changed  occasionally  or  removed  during  a  spell  of  mild  weather,  but  if 
allowed  to  remain  all  the  winter,  heavy  rains  and  snow  saturate  and 
weigh  it  down,  Avhich  causes  the  plants  to  decay.  For  several  years 
coal  ashes  have  been  used  here,  and  I  find  them  answer  best,  as  well 
as  being  tidier. 
"When  the  heads  are  all  gathered  the  stems  are  cut  away;  the 
plants  then  make  fresh  growth,  which  I  try  to  preserve,  if  possible, 
through  the  winter.  On  the  approach  of  sharp  frost,  a  bank  of 
ashes  is  put  round  each  stool;  to  facilitate  this  operation,  the  leaves 
are  loosely  tied  together.  Should  the  winter  be  very  severe,  more 
ashes  may  be  added.  When  they  are  remoA'ed  in  spring,  be  careful 
to  clear  all  avvay,  as  it  is  not  advisable  to  get  them  mixed  with 
the  soil,  especially  when  it  is  of  a  light  nature.  Early  in  April  Avill 
be  soon  ehough  to  remove  the  protecting  material. — J.  S.  Upex, 
Wiggantliorpc^  York. 
HARDY  FRUITS— POINTS  FROM  PEARSON. 
Mb.  a.  II.  Peaeson  once  upon  a  time  read  a  paper  at  Nottingham,, 
and  the  wise  midlanders  seem  as  if  they  Avould  not  Avillingly  let  it  die. 
It  Avas  published  in  pamphlet  form,  and  a  copy  of  the  third  edition 
is  sent  to  us — in  case,  as  the  author  suggests,  the  hot  weather  leaves 
us  with  sufficient  strength  to  say  a  word  about  it — not  the  weathe.-,- 
but  the  pamphlet. 
There  are  people  in  the  world,  not  a  few,  who  appear  to  think 
lightly  of  “  little  things  in  ptaper  covers,”  and  v/ho  therefore  bestoAV  on 
them  only  a  casual  glance,  then  throw  them  aside  like  old  news¬ 
papers.  It  is,  at  least  in  many  instances,  a  mistake,  for  a  good  deal  of 
sound  sense  and  information  may  be  compeessed  in  a  few  pages 
presented  in  modest  garb  to  the  public.  As  by  no  means  all  or  half' 
of  those  who  are  interested  in  hardy  fruit  culture  will  read  the  score 
or  tAvo  of  pages  under  notice,  and  as  the  weather  is  cooler,  and  we 
do  not  remember  reading  the  previous  issues,  we  will  consider  a  few 
points  from  the  one  before  us. 
Picking  and  Stealing. 
It  cannot  be  said  that  the  first  point  is  representative  of  the  highest 
possible  literary  morality,  but  it  is  at  least  introduced  by  the  expression 
of  a  good  old  truth — namely,  “  Much  has  been  Avritten  on  the  subject 
of  Irait  culture.’’  It  has  been  said  there  are  some  critics  who  live  to  - 
deny  everything,  but  Ave  scarcely  expect  to  find  one  who  Avill  deny 
that  pronouncement.  The  author  of  it,  if  author  he  be,  for  Ave 
think  it  may  have  been  read  a  hundred  times  before,  then  goes  on  to 
say  Avith  innate  midland  modesty  that  he  can  hardly  expect  to  say 
anything  new  on  the  subject,  but  thinks  he  might  “make  a  nice 
paper  ’’—note  the  “  make  ” — and  tells  us  how  it  could  be  done.  It  is 
delightfully  simple  and  by  no  means  new;  it  just  amounts,  we  are- 
told,  to  collecting  “  gleanings  from  the  writings  from  others,  for  as 
some  sly  American  wit  has  neatly  said — 
“  He  writeth  best  who  stealeth  best 
Ideas  both  great  and  small. 
For  the  great  soul  who  wrote  them  first 
From  Nature  stole  them  all.” 
Our  author  then  proceeds— we  do  not  say  “accordingly,”  but  rather  to 
relate  his  experiences  from  Nature,  art,  and  negligence  in  relation  ta 
fruit  protluction,  — and  we  ought  to  shudder  as  Ave  write  the 
terrible  Avbfd  and  reflect  on  the  law  of  libel — just  a  little  stealing. 
“What !  a  honest  midlander  steal  ?  It’s  an  outrage;  give  proof,  or  into 
the  Court  you  go,  and  an  intelligent  jury  shall  give  redress.”  Be  calm, 
Mr.  Author,  Ave  have  evidence  the  weight  of  which  you  cannot  dispute 
— your  OAvn. 
Ploughing  and  Plowing. 
You  tell  us  that  when  you  first  wrote  the  paper  few  people 
thought  of  planting  an  orchard  and  keeping  the  land  in  cultivation, 
and  that  you  “rather”  recommended  grass  orchards;  but  you  have 
advanced  in  more  ways  than  one  since  then,  and  are  not  very  likely  to- 
lag  behind.  Still,  as  you  say,  grass  orchards  are  yet  the  best  in  certain 
