THE ENDIVE. 257 



mixture of sediment and peat deep, rich, light and moist ; 

 most admirably adapted to the root. 



Harvesting and Curing. From seed sown in February, 

 harvesting continues from the middle of August to the 

 middle of October. Early gathering is necessary, as sun- 

 dried chicory is better than that cured by artificial heat. 

 When ready for gathering a plow is run along each side 

 of the plants with subsoil cutter and lifter attached, which 

 loosens the roots so that they can be easily lifted from the 

 soil by the hand clean and ready for the cutting machine. 

 This operation is like the gathering of sugar beets, and 

 the topping or removal of the leaves is the same. 



When they reach the factory the roots are placed in the 

 machine, which cuts them into cubic blocks three-fourths 

 of an inch in size. The drying platform comes in use next, 

 and when the chicory has been dried as far as sun power 

 will dry it, it is placed in the roasters, each holding two 

 barrels, where it is roasted as coffee is before being ground. 

 From the roasters it goes to the mill, where it is ground 

 put in barrels, and thus becomes the chicory of commerce. 



The preparation of chicory for home use is a very simple 

 operation and can be done with ordinary kitchen appli- 

 ances. 



The variety grown is the " large-rooted Magdeburg," 

 with leaves entire and upright. 



THE ENDIVE. 



Though botanically a chicory, the endive in its uses is 

 closely allied with lettuce and is chiefly useful during the 

 frosty period of the year, for then its flavor is likely to 

 be better than that of lettuce, because it is able to grow 

 more rapidly with low temperatures. As, however, there 

 is so much of California which does favor rapid winter 

 growth of lettuce the endive is correspondingly restricted. 

 Still in localities with heavy rainfall and long stretches of 

 chilly winter weather, the endive will give good supplies 

 of salad material and should be better known. It is also 

 valuable as a boiled vegetable possessing a distinctive 



