The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1897-12-09
ARTiCHOKES FOR HOGS.
How to Grow the Tubers to the Best
Advantage.

It has become proverbial with mary
farmers, and especially those of the
eastern states, to regard the artichoke
with suspicion and aversion. Nor is this
fear entirely unfounded. The fact Is,
when once they obtain foothOld, artl-
chokes have wonderful tenacity for
maintaining their possessions" In
deed, almost nothing will eNterminate
them, unless it be herd of swine. Take
a good, healthy, resolute porker, and
king" artichoke has got to succumb;
and the more the hog can get of them to
eat, the plumper and fatter and more
contented it becomes, as rule. Accord
ingly, every farmer who raises more or
less pork, ought to make provisions for
supplying his swine with artichokes.
They are grown much the same as
potatoes and can be planted any time up
to the middle of June. From four to
six bushels of seed per acre are recon-
mended by different growers. The
tubers may be cut small, like potatoes
and they should be planted from 5 to
Is inches apart in the rows, which ought
to be 80 feet apart. To do the work
properly. the ground should be
thoroughly titled and all weeds de
stroyed As the roots spread widely, at
the end of the season. without the cult
Walton has been vigorous, they will fill
the ground. BY this mode of cultiva
ton, yields of 1000 and 1000 bushels
per acre are often obtained, and, while
r., Of
potatoes, the tubers are nearly equal in
nutritive value to potatoes, and much
more valuable for feeding to stock, hogs
in particular.
The planting should be done similar
tn that of potatoes, only not so deep,
two inches of earth being sufficient, as
Il rule, for covering. Harrow them until
foot high, and then cultivate like corn
whereon if the ground was in the first
place we'll fitted, it will soon be covered
by such a strong growth of stock as
eHectually to choke out all the weeds
The leaves and stalks are rather rough
to be sure. but stock are fond of them
nevertheless, and will greedily eat the
tops to the ground if allowed to get tc
them.
The best way is to turn hogs into the
patch after the tubers have matured.
which will not be until late in the sea.
sen. and allow them to do their own
digging. Fed in this way, with the
tops left on the ground, and with them
the droppings of the hogs, the crop can
not fail to improve the land. Still, no
one is ever ready to indorse this plant
and therefore it has to exist as it can
catch it, with its praises sounded as
little as possible.
Properly speaking, artichokes should
be grown Oh land that may be set aside
fer all time. With pigs enough, there
will be great difficulty then in control
ling its growth. If you have only a few
pigs, however, plant artichokes in pro-
portion. Mismanagement and no calcu-
lation at all, remember. are things high
~ instrumental to many of the ills OF
this world.
| Freezing does not injure artichokes
in the least, either for food or seed.
Therefore, if so desired, they can be left
in the ground until spring, and then
fed to the hogs, which, if taken out in
time, will usually leave enough of the
tubers in the soil to reseed it. Some pre-
fer, however, to let the hogs clean out
the patch thoroughly and replant in
hills and drills, rather than let a volun-
teer crop come up. But many are afraid
to plant them at all in that they be-
lieve that if they once get into the land
they cannot be eradicated. Were it no.
for the hog, this might be true. AS it is,
though, no such fears need to be har-
bored.
There are quite variety of artichokes.
and still greater variety of opinions in
regard to which is the best Amony
those who have experimental with the
different kinds, some consider the Red
brazilian ahead Of all the others. viz.
Mammoth, White French and the Jeru-
salem, the last of which is an old and
well-known variety. The Red Brazilian
has not been grown in America a quar-
ter of century yet, but in that time it
has gained a host of friends, simply be-
cause its roots do not spread near So
much as those Of some of the other
rarieties.-Teb Harke, in Albany IN,
W Journal