PROCEEDINGS OF THE FARMERS' CLUB. 239 



" Chiccory, or succory, or the wild endive, is a plant of the dandelion 

 family; grows wild and profusely in England and other parts of Europe, 

 and is also naturalized in America. The root is fleshy and milky, and is 

 cheap and pleasant, but has but little nutriment, and none of the essential 

 oil or aromatic flavor of cofiee. 



" In cases where it is used for a long time, its effects are deleterious, 

 especiall}'^ upon the nervous system; not so much so, however, as coffee. 

 It was formerly used for medicinal purposes, and is still thought by some 

 to be beneficial in the early stages of jaundice and visceral obstructions, etc. 



"It is now emploj^ed almost exclusively as a substitute for coffee; and, 

 notwithstanding its cheapness, it is often adulterated with roasted wheat, 

 rye, acorns, carrots, and other more objectionable articles. Large crops 

 of chiccory are grown every year in England, and is cut, dried, and reduced 

 to powder, when it resembles in color ground coffee without its qualities. 

 It blossoms in August and September, with bright blue flowers, on a stem 

 rising from one to three feet, when grown wild, but when well cultivated 

 the stem rises to the height, sometimes, of six feet. Cultivate like parsnips 

 or carrots. Great Britain produced 12,500 tons of chiccory in 1850. The 

 British Parliament has sanctioned its sale, only labeled when sold mixed 

 with coffee." 



Mr. Charles F. Erhard, of Ravenswood. — The blossoms were not always 

 blue, but vary in color like asters. The plant grows wild just as carrots 

 do upon Long Island, though I was not aware till now that it was the 

 same as the one cultivated, nor had I any idea that an article that I have 

 long used as a substitute for coffee in my family, could be so easily grown, 

 I think that hereafter I shall grow my own chiccory. 



Mr, Van Antwerp. — The roots shown to-day by Mr. Robinson are larger 

 than any I have ever seen. I have understood that the roots imported from 

 Germany are a smaller variety, which is preferable to use in place of 

 coffee; but experiments will soon prove if this is so. 



Dr. Church, of New York. — The botanical name of chiccory is Cichorium 

 Entihus. The succory, used as forage plant, Cichorium Endiva. The 

 dried chiccory roots have been an article of commerce for a long time, and 

 have sold at six, seven and eight cents a pound, and at present considerably 

 higher. I do not think its use deleterious, unless taken in immoderate 

 quantities. 



Mr. Carpenter. — I have been in the habit of condemning the use of 

 chiccory, but from the testimony of a number of friends who have used it, I 

 think I have been in error. Our farmers can certainly grow this root at 

 two cents per pound. Allowing that it does lose three-quarters of its weight 

 by drying and roasting, it can be placed on our tables at farthest at ten 

 cents per pound. Now that the price of coffee has advanced to over double 

 its former price, chiccory will be grown to an unlimited extent. I think it 

 is our duty to recommend it to the attention of American farmers, 



Mr. Solon Robinson. — As to the objection to growing chiccory, that if 

 once got into the ground it can never be got out, the same objection rests 

 against carrots, parsnips, horse-radish, Jerusalem artichokes, and I do not 

 know how many other plants. A correspondent of the Country Qentleman 

 says: 



