1862. 



THE ILLmOIS FAEMEK. 



115 



l^From the Chicago Tribune.'] 



Substitutes and Adulterations of Cofifee 

 — Bye Cofifee— Chieeory— Sweet Po- 

 tatoes. 



Champaign, March 25, 1852. 



At this time when coffee commands a price 

 that admonishes housekeeper-^ to be very prudent 

 in its use, a very general disposition is manifes- 

 ted to use substitutes of home growth, in whole 

 or in part. The consumption of coffee has in- 

 creased very materially within the past year, as 

 shown in its sale at our large seaports. A part 

 of this is probably due to its extensive use in the 

 army. At the same time large amounts of other 

 substances have been used. We have seen no 

 Btatemeut in regard to the amount of tea used 

 the past year as compared with previous ones, 

 but would suppose a falling off. The increased 

 use of coffee in the west is in part due to cheap 

 sweetening, sorghum molasses being largely used 

 among farmers for that purpose. Among substi- 

 tutes used in whole or in part, three stands out 

 prominently, and are more or less pulverized, 

 as they are easily grown at all points in the 

 State, and valuable for the purpose, or at least 

 among the most valuable, we will describe them 

 at length. 



BYE. 



This grain has been very extensively used for 

 coffee, and the consumption in Europe and other 

 civilized coufatries amounts to some millions of 

 bushels annually. It is oftener used without 

 than mixed with the berry. In our visits 

 to Missouri, we found it used exclusively at all 

 thepublic and private houses at which we stopped, 

 and in some caeses so complete was the meta- 

 morphose, with sugar and cream, that some of 

 our companions would not believe that it was not 

 the berry itself. Where the grain is plump and 

 has been prepared with two or three washings in 

 hot water, then spread out to dry, before roasi- 

 ing, and mixed in liberal quantities with well 

 prepared coffee, it is many times difficult to de- 

 termine the cheat. If the rye is not washed in 

 boiling hot water, there is an unpleasant taste 

 about it that at once leads to it- detection. Rye 

 grown at the west, or at least that on the prairies 

 is the most valuable for coffee, as it is destitute 

 of ergot or rye-smut, which is often found in this 

 grain at the east, in such large quantities as to 

 render it unfit for food, much lees to drink. Per- 

 sons purchasing rye to be used for coffee should 

 be careful to get that grown on the prairies. 

 The grains will not be as large or wide as that 

 from the timber lands of the north, but it will be 

 free from ergot [cornutem.) 



Bye thus selected, scalded, and otherwise prop- 

 erly prepared, makes a very good substitute, or 

 rather, it makes a palatable and healthly drink 

 with the morning meal, but of course does not 

 contain the valuable properties of pure coffee. 

 Rye is probably the cheapest and the most exten- 

 sively used as a substitute for coffee, of all other 

 substitutes combined. 



CHICCORY (Cichorium Intyhus.) 



This plant is largely cultivated in England, 

 France and Belgium, for the purpose of adulte- 



rating coffee, and is also often used wholly for 

 coffee. It is shipped in large quantities from 

 those countries to the United States for this pur- 

 pose. ^*- hen properly prepared and used alone, 

 it makes a palatable drink, resembling coffee, 

 with a somewhat distinct smell of liquorice. 

 People accustomed to its use become fond of it. 

 It is certainly better than nine-tenth of the coffee 

 served up at the hotels. 



It is simple in its preparation and less liable to 

 damage in roasting. Certainly well prepared 

 chieeory is to be preferred to over roasted coffee 

 a la hotel. Chieeory is easily cultivated, and 

 every farmer can grow it at a trifling cost. It 

 is grown in this neighbo" hood by several parties, 

 and is used by some farmers almost exclusively 

 for coffee. It ripens its seed in September, of 

 the second year, and is in use as early as July. 

 The roots are washed and dried in an oven, 

 roasted and ground, packed away ^nd drawn 

 upon as needed for use. The plant grows two 

 to three feet high. Those who wish this substi- 

 tute for coffee need be at no lurther expense 

 than a paper of seed, and a few hours work, to 

 produce an abundance, in fact. It will seed itself 

 in the garden borders, though of course the roots 

 in that case would be smaller and of less value. 

 Chieeory and peas are the substances used by 

 coffee roasters in our large towns with which to 

 adulterate coffee. The pea bug has of late years 

 nearly ruined the pea crop for this use, and the 

 chieeory has been mainly depended upon for 

 this purpose. This root adds to the apparent 

 strength of the berry, and in this respect is con- 

 sidered economical. But there is little of the 

 roasted and ground coffee sold in shops that is 

 not more or less adulterated with chieeory. We 

 do not know whether an adequate supply of this 

 plant is as yet grown in the United States, but it 

 is certain that its culture is becoming quite com- 

 mon. From its ease of culture, the roots can be 

 afforded at a cheap rate and should be grown at 

 home. As it is so extensively used, some of our 

 gardeners should supply the demand and no 

 longer depend upon the East or our neighbors 

 over the water for a supply. 



In the countries named chieeory is exten- 

 sively used for green fodder for soiling, and it is 

 little effected by drouth, would doubtless prove 

 valuable in the south part of the State. When 

 it is cultivated for fodder, it is sown in the spring 

 with eats, at the rate of four or five pounds of 

 seed to the acre. It also makes a good salad the 

 first year, as its broad tapering leaves contain a 

 milky substance, with a bitter taste, and is con- 

 sidered valuable as a diuretic wa'' to re establish 

 the appetite. It remains in the ground thvoagh 

 the winter like the parsnip, and its roots are used 

 the second season for coffee. These are washed, 

 out in thin slices and dried in an oven. The 

 pieces are then browned to the color of coffee, 

 ground and packed away for use. Nearly all of 

 the best old Java, sold as ground coffee, contains 

 about one fourth of chieeory. We have pur- 

 chased pure ground Java, but have oftener found 

 it mixed with chieeory. 



As chieeory will continue to be used for the 

 purpose of adulterating coffee, and as it is valua- 

 ble for salad and will probably prove valuable for 



