48 The Cultivation and Preparation of Coffee 



chicory in certain proportions had been 

 permitted by a Treasury minute of 1840, and 

 the quantity of chicory had increased till the late 

 Mr. Gladstone brought in a resolution that the 

 words ' ' mixture of chicory and coffee ' ' should 

 be placed on any package containing both 

 ingredients. But the worst of it was that 

 chicory itself was adulterated with roasted 

 acorns and other vegetable substances, dog's 

 biscuits, burned sugar, red earth, and even 

 horses' and bullocks' baked livers. In fact, it 

 was discovered that the articles used to adulter- 

 ate were themselves adulterated. The mixture 

 of coffee with chicory may always be detected by 

 sprinkling it on the surface of water. Genuine 

 coffee floats a long time, and sinks slowly, 

 colouring the water but slightly ; chicory, how- 

 ever, sinks quickly, and colours the water with 

 a deep-brown tint at once. 



