10 Feb., 1919.] The Cultivation of Chicory. 113 



THE CULTIVATION OF CHICORY. 



By J. W. Audas, F.L.8., F.R.M.S. (Assistant, National 

 Herbarium, Melbourne). 



Chicory (C'ichorium. intyhvs) is a well-known perennial plant 



belonging to the Compositse, and is indigenous to Europe, Northern 



Africa, and South Western Asia. There are several varieties in culti- 



\ vation, most of them being valued for their roots, but some are also 



\ cultivated as fodder crops. The Brunswick, Silesian, Madgesburg, 



yElite and White-Loof are the commonest; the Brunswick and Madges- 



\)urg are largely grown for the roots. A cross between the Brunswick 



\nd Silesian is said to have been particularly successful in South 



vfrica. The Magdesburg is longer in the root, and i? rather harder 



\liit than the Brunswick. 



\ The roots are chiefly used as a substitute for, or an admixture in, 

 coee, and they can be dressed and boiled for culinary purposes. The 

 le^es, particularly when grown in dark, warm places, are useful for 

 sails, and medicinal use may also be made of the fresh roots. 



Upplies of chicory roots are obtainable chiefly from Europe. Owing 

 to Ach diminished supplies from France and Belgium since the pre- 

 sent var and the greatly enhanced prices obtainable, the growing of 

 chicoV should prove a profitable crop for cultivation by Victorian 

 farme^ Prior to the war the price of Belgium Chicory was £7 5s. 

 per toif^o.b Antwerp. At present Dutch Chicory, f.o.b. Dutch ports, 

 is quott at £16 per ton for the dried roots. The wholesale price of 

 manufa:\j2.g(j chicory was £27 per ton, while now it is £45, and the 

 price is tn rising. 



Chico^ has been cultivated successfully in Victoria, but very little 

 appears \\)q grown for commercial purposes at the present time, 

 although ^j-e ^g a market waiting, if a steady and sufficient supply 

 were availie. Owing to the frequent flooding of the Mitchell Eiver 

 flats, m ^ipland, the growing of chicory around Bairnsdale has become 

 unprontabie,^(j ^^q chief centres in Victoria for its production at pre- 

 sent are Freii island, Phillip Island, and Hastings. Nearer the metro- 

 polis, chicoryw.Q-^jj^g jg carried on by Chinese. The average annual 

 yield for the ^g ig about 600 tons. 



As a larm.Qp j^g gj^fef advantages are its adaptability to dry, 

 poor soils, its j^gj. Qf producing several cuttings of green food per 

 annum when oi established, its perennial character and easy culti- 

 vation. A nrst yp q£ leaves, could be cut in the autumn and after- 

 wards three or ip^grops per annum would be obtainable. As a root 

 crop the cultivatio^£ ^-j^g plant is not more troublesome than the grow- 

 ing of beets, pai^^g^ or carrots, and frequently 6 to 8 tons of 

 fresh roots are obt^|^|g ^^^, ^^^^_ 



Jtrep.^jq^ and Cultivation of Soil. 

 To produce good ^^^ ^^^p ploughing and cultivation of the soil 

 are essential. \}^^\g and subsoiling to a depth of at least 9 

 inches should be done ^^^^^^^^ ^^^ j^^^ ^^-^^ l^^. ^^^^-^ ^^^ ^^^^ 

 for winter fallow. In^ ^p^-^^g -j. gj^^^i^j ^^ thoroughly harrowed, 

 and deeply cultivated, ^g ^^ g^^ -^ ^^^^ ^^^^^ j^^^^ condition, and 



