Let the artichokes lie in a pan of cold water,the same as is the rule for cauliflower, spinach, etc, an hour or two before they are to be cooked. Wash well, and if the tips of the leaves are discolored, clip them; cut the artichokes in 4 and remove the stringy core. Have the water ready boiling, put in a teaspoonful of salt and baking soda the size of a bean, boil the artichokes about 1/2 hour or until the soft end of the leaf when pulled out proves to be tender. Drain and serve like cauliflower, 2 pieces in a dish, and a spoonful of butter sauce poured over.