well as disagreeable." M'Intosh remarks, that, when skilfully
prepared, they form an excellent and wholesome dish, deserving far more
general notice.

In France, the flowers are gathered, and dried in the shade; and, when
so preserved, are used as a substitute for rennet, to coagulate milk.

_Varieties._--

COMMON, OR LARGE SMOOTH. _Trans._

Smooth Large Solid. Plein Inerme. _Vil._

This kind grows from four to five feet high. The leaves are large and
strong, though somewhat smaller than those of the Tours or Prickly
Cardoon. They are of a shining-green color, with little appearance of
hoariness on the upper surface, and generally destitute of spines;
though some of the plants occasionally have a few small ones at the base
of the leaflets.

The Cardon _Plein Inerme_ of the French, which is described in the "Bon
Jardinier" as a novelty, corresponds nearly with the Large Smooth or
Common Cardoon.

LARGE SPANISH. _Trans._

D'Espagne. _Vil._

Stem five or six feet high. The divisions of the leaflets are rather
narrower, and somewhat more hoary, than those of the Common Cardoon.
The ribs are longer, and the whole plant stronger and generally more
spiny; though, on the whole, comparatively smooth. It is not, however,
always very readily distinguished from the Common or Large Smooth
Cardoon. It runs up to seed quicker than the other varieties.

PUVIS. _Thomp._

Artichoke-leaved. Lance-leaved. Puvis de Bourg. _Vil._

The Puvis Cardoon is remarkable for its strong growth, the large size it
attains, and the thickness of the mid-ribs of the leaves, which are
almost solid. The leaves are thick, and not at all prickly, or very
slightly so. The terminal lobe is very large, and lance-formed: whence
the name. It is a fine variety, and of more tender substance than the
Tours Cardoon.

RED. _Trans._

Blood-ribbed. Red-stemmed. _Thomp._ Large Purple.

The leaves of this variety are green, without any hoariness; long,
narrow, and more sharply pointed than those of most of the other kinds.
The ribs are large, solid, and tinged with red. A recent sort, excellent
in quality, but wanting in hardiness.

TOURS. _Trans._

Large Tours Solid. Cardon de Tours. _Vil._

The leaves of this variety are very hoary on the upper surface; the
divisions are broad, sharply pointed, and terminate with rigid, sharp
spines. Spines also grow, in clusters of from three to five, at the base
of the leaflets; and are very strong, an