The Yale expositor. (Yale, St. Clair County, Mich.) 1894-current, 1903-06-19
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The Artlehoke Field.

From the Farmers Review: But
few years ago great claims
were made In favor OF the artichoke.
especially as food for swine In fact.
many OF these claims seem to be so
exaggerated that many farmers have
lost faith entirely in the merits OF
this tuber crop. Their real value Is
no doubt underestimate by the gen.
eral public. One important factor In
It's favor Is It's ability 10 remain In
the soil all winter and still retain It's
terminating power. IL also has n won.
derful habit OF surrounding all din.
culties and growing against all oppo'
sition. This characteristic OF the plant
enables the farmer TO grow artichokes
from year 10 year on the same ground
with little or no outlay for making
seed bed or cultiyating the crop.
Also II this tendency is well under.
stood there is little need OF the farm.
or letting this plant become a weed
pest in his garden. lawn or cultivated
Held. IL is well then TO consider the
location for the artichoke field. II in
the near future the land is intended
FOR garden or for hoed crop OF
any kind II should not be planted to
artlchokes, for once in the ground
they become a yeritable weed pest and
continue so for years TO come. They
must be planted where stock can be
pastured II so desired 10 kill them
on. The tops are ereedily eaten by
cattle and horses. and II allowed TO
bite them for a summer or two they
die out.
IL the aruchoke patch can be plant.
ed In or near a feed lot. away from
cultivated land or the garden and
where II can be used for pasturing
hogs for several years. the artichoke
crop can be very cheaply grown after
the first planting and prove indeed n
very profitable crop.
Keep In mind. however. that they
are not rich food: they do not. In pro
portion to bulk. contain large amounts
OF the elements. protein. carbohydrates
and fat. All are In dilute form. Water
is the principal constituent OF the raw
artichoke. aud the protein element Is.
indeed, quite Insignificant.
II belongs TO that class OF farm
products that is worth more for feed.
ing than it's chemical analysis shows.
Pumpkins. beets. turnips. cabbage.
rape and sorghum cane are also mem.
bers OF this class.
Every feeder knows that cattle.
hogs and sheep will gain much faster
when fed on grass or clover. The
same is true, II pumpkins are fed with
the corn ration. In the winter during
many dry days the hogs can not get
anything green, the pumpkins are
gone. When fed corn alone. they be.
come sluggish and oftentimes so
feyered that they eat lightly OF the
corn ration resulting in very slow
growing. Here Is where the artichoke
field can play n strong hand. When
the ground is not frozen. II the hogs
are turned into II. they get exercise
harvesting the tubers and the effect
Of eating the roots is 90 cool the sys.
TEN improve digestion and assimila.
ton. The animal eats more grain
and makes a greater per cent OF gain
for grain consumed.
The first planting OF artichokes Is
very much like planting potatoes. The
tubers are cut so as 10 have a germi.
mating eye for every piece. They are
then planted in rows just as potatoes
are planted and cultivated during their
early growth. The next season the
tubers will permeate the entire soil
and the plants will grow thick, promis.
cuously over the area. II they are 10
be cultivated in after years space
must be cut out. and the standing
plants made IT. row together as in
the first year. II heavily pastured
the hogs will do the breaking. and
then by attaching gopher knives to the
cultiyator shanks IL is comparatively
easy TO arrange rows for cultivation.
Try a patch where you can pasture
them IL not satisfactory. Remember
to keep them entirely away from the
garden. lawn or cultivated felds.-w.
b. Anderson.