CHICORY, OR SUCCORY 



347 



while the leaves of the 



Magdeburg variety are 



undivided and stand qiu'te 



erect. The latter is con- 

 sidered the more productive 



of the two. Its roots are 



longer and thicker, although 



not quite so regular. It is 



not unusual to find single 



roots of it which weigh 



from 14 to 17 oz., and 



which look very like dwarf 



White Sugar Beets, such 



as the German kinds, when 



they are grown very close 



together. As already men- 

 tioned, the Large - rooted 



Chicory is often employed 



to form \htBarbe-de-capucin. 

 Witloof, or Large 



Brussels Chicory. This 



plant may be considered 



as a sub-variety of the 



Magdeburg Large - rooted 



Chicory. Its principal merit consists in the width of its leaves 



and the great size of their ribs or stalks. When blanched in the 

 way described farther on, it forms the vegetable 

 which the Belgians call Witloof, as already 

 mentioned. As shown in the illustration, this 

 very much resembles a blanched head of Cos 

 Lettuce in appearance. 



CULTURE. In order to obtain good specimens 

 of Witloof, well-grown roots of the plant should 

 be used ; and to obtain these the seed should 

 be sown in the open ground, in June, in drills 

 10 or 12 in. apart, selecting good, deep, rich soil 

 for the purpose. The plants are allowed to grow 

 on till the beginning of winter, without any 

 attention except keeping the ground free from 

 weeds, and watering when necessary. In the 

 beginning of November, the roots (which by that 

 time should have attained a diameter of from i 

 to nearly 2 in.) are taken up, those which have 

 divided or too narrow leaves being thrown aside, 

 |f a ny such are met with, as well as any which 

 natural size), bear several heads. The leaves of all the selected 



Magdeburg Chicory (^ natural size). 



