JERUSALEM ARTICHOKE, or TOPINAMBURI, Helianthus tuberosus. a plant of the natural order Composites. and of the same genus with the common sunflower (q.v.), is a Dative of Brazil. The word Jerusalem, in the English name, is a corruption of the Italian girasole, sunflower; the name artichoke is merely from a supposed similarity of flavor in the eatable part—the tuber—to the artichoke. The Jerusalem artichoke hes straight, simple stems from 8 to 12 ft. high, and many rough, ovate-acute, stalked leaves, and in the end of autumn, but rarely in Scotland, produces yellow flowers resembling those of the common sunflower, but smaller. The thick, fleshy, and knotted perennial root produces pretty closely around it, oval or roundish tubers, sometimes 30 or 50 in number, which are reddish on the outside, and whitish within, in appearance very simi lar to potatoes. They have a sweetish, mucilaginous taste when boiled, and are much more watery and less noprishing than potatoes.' They are, however, very palatable
when properly prepared with sauce, and make very good soup. The plant is also useful for fodder for cattle. yielded by its leaves and the more tender parts of the stems. The fiber of the stems may probably be found valuable for paper-making. The stems and leaves contain much niter. and have been used for making potash. The Jerusalem artichoke is scarcely an agricultural crop in Britain, although it is to some extent in some parts of Europe. It is common, however, in gardens, and was knovn in our gardens before the potato, to which it in seine measure gave place. It is generally propagated by small tubers. or cuttings of tubers, like the potato; and its cultivation is in most respects similar, although the aspect of the plant is very different.