Artichoke, (Cynara scolymm).

Soil And Situation

The finest heads are produced in a soil abounding in i moisture, but in such they will not sur-vive the winter. To enable them to survive the winter, those for the supply of suckers, as well as those for the lasting production, must have a rich loam allotted to them. Manure must be applied every spring; and the best compost for them is a mixture of three parts well putrefied dung, and one part of fine coal-ashes. They should always have an open exposure, and above all be free from the influence of trees; for if beneath their shade or drip, the plants spindle, and produce worthless heads.

Time And Mode Of Planting

It is propagated by suckers, which are annually afforded by the parent plants in the spring. These must be slipped off in March or early in April, when eight or ten inches in height, with as much of their fibrous roots pertaining as possible. Such of them should be selected as are sound and not woody. The brown hard part by which they are attached to the parent stem must be removed, and if that cuts crisp and tender, it is tough and stringy, and is worthless. Further, to prepare them for planting, the large outside leaves are taken off so low as that the heart appears above them. If they have been some time separated from the stock, or if the weather is dry, they are greatly invigorated by being set in water for three or four hours, before they are planted. They should be set in rows four feet and a half by three feet apart, and about half their length beneath the surface. Water them abundantly every evening until they are established, as well as during the droughts of summer. The only other attention they require during the summer, is the frequent use of the hoe.

They produce heads the same year, from July to October, and will continue to do so annually, from May until June or July. As often as a head is cut, the stem must be broken down close to the root, to encourage the production of suckers before the arrival of winter. In November or December, they should receive their winter's dressing. The old leaves being cut away without injuring the centre or side shoots, the ground must be dug over, and part of the soil thrown into a moderate ridge over each row, it being put close about the plants, but the hearts left clear. Each plant must be closed round with long litter, or pea haulm: it is, however, a very erroneous practice to apply stable dung immediately over the plants previous to earthing them up, as it in general induces decay. As soon as February commences, all covering of this description must be removed. In March, or as soon as the shoots appear four or five inches above the surface, the ridges thrown up in the winter must be levelled, and all the earth removed from about the stock to below the part from whence the young shoots spring.

Of these remove all but two or at most three of the straightest and most vigorous, care being taken to select from those which proceed from the under part of the stock: the strong thick ones proceeding from its crown having hard woody stems, and are productive of indifferent heads.

Although the artichoke in a suitable soil is a perennial, yet after the fourth or fifth year the heads become smaller and drier. The beds, in consequence, are usually broken up after the lapse of this period, and fresh ones formed on another site.

The artichoke's heads are made to attain a much larger size than they would otherwise by twisting a ligature very tightly round the stem, about three inches below each, and thus preventing the reflux of the sap.

No vegetable is more benefitted than the artichoke by the application of seaweed or any other manure containing common salt.

To Obtain Chards

After the best heads have been cut, early in July the leaves are to be cut over within half a foot of the ground; and the stems as low as possible. In September or October, when the new shoots or leaves are about two feet high, they are bound close with a wreath of hay or straw, and earth or litter is drawn round the stems of the plants. The blanching is perfected in a month or six weeks. If the chards are wished late in the winter, the whole plants may be dug up before frost sets in, and laid in sand in their blanched state. In this way they may be kept for several weeks.

Gobbo

"The stem of an artichoke is bent down to a right angle, and the petioles are collected and covered over so as to blanch. The result is a lump, which is eaten raw with salt, and is tolerably good. In Italy it is used in the autumn and winter, and replaces radishes." - Gard. Chron .