Chicory 



113 



and taken up on the approach of cold weather. The effort 

 is to grow strong roots and to have them in prime condi/- 

 tion at the end of the growing season. The culture is sim- 

 ple , as for carrots or parsnips. 



While the culture of chicory (or succory, an old name) 

 is easy, the grower must know for what purpose he is to 

 rear the plant. The purposes may be four: (1) to obtain 

 the green leaves to be used as potherbs; (2) to produce 

 barbe-de-capucin ("friar's beard") and witloof, which 

 are the colorless leaves arising from stored roots; (3) to 

 secure the young green roots themselves, of certain vari- 

 eties, for cooking and 

 eating, a use very little 

 known with us ; (4) to 

 raise roots to dry for 

 the. making of a 

 substitute for coffee. 

 The last category does 

 not come within the 

 scope of this book. 

 Only the first two uses may be considered here. 



The roots are grown as are parsnips or carrots, and 

 harvestings of leaves may be made throughout the growing 

 season. One may also leave the roots in the ground over 

 winter and gather the crown of leaves in the spring, or one 

 may take them to the cellar or greenhouse and secure the 

 leaves in winter. It is usually preferable to grow a new 

 lot of plants each year. 



For the production of blanched leaves, the strong roots 

 are usually taken up in autumn. The roots are buried in 

 a sloping direction in sand in pit or cellar, the crown 



49. Chicory seedlings (X 2/3). 



