Maison rustique, or The countrey farme· Compyled in the French tongue by Charles Steuens, and Iohn Liebault, Doctors of Physicke. And translated into English by Richard Surflet, practitioner in physicke. Now newly reuiewed, corrected, and augmented, with diuers large additions, out of the works of Serres his Agriculture, Vinet his Maison champestre, French. Albyterio in Spanish, Grilli in Italian; and other authors. And the husbandrie of France, Italie, and Spaine, reconciled and made to agree with ours here in England: by Geruase Markham. The whole contents are in the page following

CHAP. XIIII.

Of Artichokes.

THe Artichoke plant is a diuers thing from End••ue and Succorie: for 〈◊〉〈◊〉 for Artichokes to plant them in Autumn••, which is about the moneth of October, they are so fruitfull and forward to thriue, as that you need not to take any more but the great leaues with their branches, of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 as bring forth the fairest and greatest fruit, and in like manner of the thicke 〈◊〉〈◊〉 in the middest, seruing for no manner of vse after that the heads of them be 〈◊〉〈◊〉: and to plant them againe. Also some haue otherwise vsed to cast downe 〈◊〉〈◊〉 said stalkes, and burie them a foot deepe in good manured ground, the leaues at 〈◊〉〈◊〉 top bound at the end with a little straw, and the stalke layed downe and well 〈◊〉〈◊〉, and they keepe them thus, watering them now and then, if the time be not 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ynough of it selfe, for to make shootes and young sets of in Winter, or at other 〈◊〉〈◊〉: and some there be that pricke the heads in a well manured earth, and being 〈◊〉〈◊〉 planted, doe couer them in Winter with the chaffe or dust of Line or Hempe 〈◊〉〈◊〉 keepe them from the frost, and that in the yeare following they may bring forth 〈◊〉〈◊〉 fruit.

Moreouer, the Artichoke is sowen in the increase of the Moone of March, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 beds well dunged and fatted, but you must not looke to haue any whole and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 fruit of them, vntill the next yeare after. And, if you would haue the seed to 〈◊〉〈◊〉, make little small pits vpon your bed a good foot one from another, and halfe 〈◊〉〈◊〉 foot deepe, and as much broad, and these fill with old dung that is verie small, and ••lacke earth that is verie fine, mixt together, and aboue the same plac•• prick or thrust

in the seed of your Artichoke two inches within the earth, the small end 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and putting fiue or sixe seeds in one pit together, and making many pits neere 〈◊〉〈◊〉 in a round compasse, that so they may make a faire knot and plant, and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 you may couer it againe easily without much stamping or treading for it. And 〈◊〉〈◊〉 soone as the Artichoke hath leaues bigge ynough, it must be watered; and 〈…〉〈…〉 continued in such places as are verie drie, that so it may bring forth a 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and great fruit. Aboue all things care must be had that the small end be not 〈◊〉〈◊〉 contrarie put downeward, for then it would bring forth writhen, weake, small, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 hard Artichokes. You must also make choice of the fairest and greatest ••eed 〈◊〉〈◊〉 may be found, and that the small pits be made a good fathome the one from the 〈◊〉〈◊〉, that so one plant may not hinder another. It is true, that it is better to 〈…〉〈…〉 slips and branches than the seed, because there commeth fruit the sooner of the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 than of the other, and because that in so planting of them, you may be occupied 〈◊〉〈◊〉 well imployed euerie moneth, and so reape your fruit in diuers seasons of the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 according as the earth is fat or leane, hot or cold, moist or drie, or as the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 hardly agreeing with and vnfit for this plant. And in anie case plant of those 〈◊〉〈◊〉 beare the fairest fruit, according as there are diuers sorts, in respect of their 〈◊〉〈◊〉, length, roundnesse, diuers colours, and tast, some also being prickly, and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 without pricks. For of Artichokes there be diuers kinds; as the round and the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the red and the greene: the round, which is greene, is a good Artichoke, so 〈…〉〈…〉 red, although it be long, yet the soale is but thinne, neither is the leafe verie 〈◊〉〈◊〉, onely it is exceeding pleasant in tast: the greene, which is long, is of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 sorts the worst, for it neither beareth good soale nor good leafe, but is a loose 〈◊〉〈◊〉 leaued Artichoke, euer wallowish and vnpleasant: but the round large 〈◊〉〈◊〉 whose tops of leaues are red, being hard, firme, and as it were all of one piece, is of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 other the best Artichoke, hath the deepest soale, the thickest leafe, and is the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to grow in anie soyle whatsoeuer: And therefore I would with euerie man, as 〈◊〉〈◊〉 as he can, to make choice of these before anie other kind.

If you would that the Artichoke should grow without prickes, you must 〈◊〉〈◊〉 against a stone, and breake the end of the seed which is sharpe: or else put the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 after the manner of a graft in the ••oot of a Lettuce which hath no rinde, and 〈…〉〈…〉 small pieces, in such sort as that euerie piece may be grafted with a seed, and so 〈◊〉〈◊〉. You shall haue Artichokes of good tast, if you let the seed steepe three 〈◊〉〈◊〉 before you plant it, in the iuice of Roses or Lillies, or oyle of Bay, or of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 or some other sweet and fragrant iuice, and then afterward drie it, ••nd so plant 〈◊〉〈◊〉 it: Although, that as concerning the former oyles, there be some which are of a 〈◊〉〈◊〉 opinion, and doe thinke that the oyle doth spoyle the seed. You shall 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Artichoke of the smell of the Bay tree, if you clea••e or make a hole in a Bay 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and putting therein the seed of an Artichoke, doe set it so. Artichokes will be 〈◊〉〈◊〉 in tast, if before you set the seed, you steepe them in milke; which must be 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and changed twice or thrice before that it sowre; or in honey: and then 〈◊〉〈◊〉 drie and set them.

Two sorts of beasts doe annoy the roots of Artichokes, Mice and Mo••les. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 dung of Swine, or the ashes of the Fig-tree spread about the roots of the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 doe chase away Mice: and the like will fall out, if you wrap their roots abo•••• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 wooll. Some, to driue away Rats that destroy the roots of Artichokes vnder the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 pricke downe, halfe a foot deepe in the earth, certaine stickes of Elder tree, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 some foure ynches from the other; the smell of which Elder is so odious 〈…〉〈…〉 beasts, that they haue no desire to come neere it, either vnder or aboue the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 so long as it is greene: and therefore when these first stickes shall be drie, you 〈◊〉〈◊〉 renew them. Othersome put Thornes that are verie sharpe and pricking, or 〈…〉〈…〉 of Chesnuts vnder the earth, round about the plants of the Artichokes, 〈…〉〈…〉 one neere vnto another, to the end, that the Rats, comming neere vnto the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 may presently be driuen backe againe. Others cause Beanes to be boyled 〈…〉〈…〉 poysoned water, and doe put them in the holes of this wicked cattell: for they 〈◊〉〈◊〉

〈◊〉〈◊〉 sent thereof, they run thither presently. As concerning Moules, we will speake of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 manner of killing them hereafter.

The root of Artichoke sodden in Wine and drunke, is soueraigne against the dif∣••••cultie of making water, for the stinking and strong smell of the arme-pits, and of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 vrine also, for the hot and scalding fretting of ones vrine, whether it come of the 〈◊〉〈◊〉, or of some other cause, and so also for the dropsie: the pulpe boyled in flesh 〈◊〉〈◊〉, and eaten with Salt, Pepper, and Galanga made in powder, helpeth the weak∣••sse of the generatiue parts. The Italians eat them in the morning raw with bread 〈◊〉〈◊〉 salt, whiles they be yet young and tender.

Notes

• To sow Arti∣ch••kes vpon beds.
• Choice of Ar••i∣chokes.
• Artichokes of a good smell.
• Artichokes smelling like Baye••.
• Sweet Arti∣chokes.
• The vertues of the Artichoke.