Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1917-12-28
FUN In THE KITCHEN GARDEN
Rx DR.. HUGO ERIcHsEN.

By DR.. HUGO ERICHSEN.
In the mind of the average garden
er be he urban, suburban, or rural, the
culture of vegetables is associated with
drudgery, which is in no wise divert
ing. And, yet, if one deviates from the
beaten paths and is-not afraid to grow
things that are decidedly uncommon,
as much fun may be had in the kitch-
en- garden as in Flora's domain, and no
little profit.
have grown these uncommon vege-
not pan out well, but that is to be ex-
pected. Even in the flower garden
not every blossom is a rose and the
ventureSome score occasional failures
with much lauded novelties.
The townsman who is often de-
barred from gardening by stress of cir
cumstance is pardonable, but there is
no excuse for the farmer who has
plenty of available land and every
necessary tool.
Even in town if one has but back
yard it pays to raise vegetables, as
there is a decided difference between
those obtained fresh from the hand
comes to ones table from the gro
Ger.
Geographically the plants with
which 1 experimental were ideally dis
tributed and came from all points of
| the compass. And the sum total of my
| experiences there were some real ac-
| QUESTIONS in the form of table
| luXuries, such as Brussels sprouts,
Mexican corn, English vegetable mar
row, and New Zealand spinach.
But in order to obtain the best re-
suits, the ground must be carefully
! prepared. The best way to do this is
| to throw up the ridges of earth in the
fall about a foot wide and two feet
apart and let the frost permeate them
thoroughly in the winter. This ren.
ders the soil very friable and the ideal
seedbed may be prepared by covering
the rows with fertilizer and distribut
ing the earth over it.
The following vegetables not only
commend themselves to my favorable
consideration, because they prove
tOothsome, but also because they flour
ish with ordinary care and I believe
they could be grown without difficult!
in any part of the United States
that is, wherever vegetation thrives.
The Cardoon, also known as thr
Spanish artichoke, is not only decided
ly picturesque, but one of those un
common vegetables 1t derived it
cognomen from the fact that it resem
bles the French artichoke to such al
extent that it is hard to tell the tw,
apart when they are planted side b,
side.
1t seems to me the Cardoon possesse
sufficient beauty to justify its addition
to the ornamental foliage plants of ou
gardens. Although it would prov
hardy in Florida and the southwest, j
seldom reaches a height of over fou
feet in the more temperate one, an
carries purplish blue, composite flower
months of August and Septembe
1t does well in ordinary garden sol
and is raised from seed sown in Apri
When the plants come up they ar
thinned to stand about two feet apar
in rows. The stems and midribs an
the edible parts must be blanched lik
celery before use.
In the kitchen the Cardoon is en-
ployed for, soups, stews and winte
salads.
Those who have never seen Mexica
corn will probably be interested in i
The ripe grains of this novel variet
is black or blush black, but when i
condition for the table looks remarl
ably white. Many consider this tt