28 A GOOD, WHOLESOME, AXD CHEAP St T BSTITUTE FOR COFFEE. 



directed to it some time ago, when reading over that charming and interesting 

 work, " Roughing it in the Bush" by my amiable friend, Mrs. Moodie, of 

 Canada. The experience of that most excellent and highly gifted lady, adds the 

 greatest possible value to the testimony of others in favour of the Dandelion 

 root ; and nothing can be more concise and simple than the account she 

 gives of its qualities, and the mode of preparing it for use. She writes 

 as follows : — 



"The first year we came to this country (Canada), I met with an account 

 of dandelion coffee, given by a Dr. Harrison, of Edinburgh, who earnestly 

 recommended it as an article for general use : — ' It possesses,' he says, all 

 the fine flavour and exhilarating properties of coffee, without any of its 

 deleterious effects. The plant, being of a soporific nature, the infusion made 

 from it, when drunk at night, produces a tendency to sleep, instead of 

 exciting wakefulness, and may safely be used as a cheap and wholesome 

 substitute for the Arabian berry, being equal in substance and flavour to 

 the best Mocha coffee.' I was much struck with this paragraph at the 

 time, and for several years felt a great desire to try the doctor's coffee ; but 

 something or other always came in the way, and it was put off till another 

 opportunity. During the fall of 1835, 1 was assisting my husband in taking 

 up a crop of potatoes in the field; and, observing a vast number of dandelion 

 roots among the potatoes, it brought the dandelion coffee back to my memory, 

 and I determined to try some for our supper. "Without saying anything to my 

 husband, I threw aside some of the roots, and when we left work, collecting 

 a sufficient number for the experiment, I carefully washed them quite clean, 

 without depriving them of the fine brown skin which covers them, and 

 which contains the aromatic flavour, which so nearly resembles coffee that it 

 is difficult to distinguish it from it while roasting. I cut my roots into small 

 pieces, the size of a kidney bean, and roasted them on an iron baking-pan 

 in the stove-oven, until they were as brown and crisp as coffee. I then 

 ground it, and transferred a small cupful of the powder to the coffee-pot, 

 pouring upon it scalding water, and boiling it for a few minutes briskly oA'er 

 the fire. The result was beyond my expectations. It proved excellent, and 

 far superior to the common coffee we procured at the stores. To persons 

 residing in the bush, and to whom tea and coffee are expensive luxuries, 

 the knowledge of this valuable property, in a plant scattered so abundantly 

 through their fields, would prove highly beneficial. For years ire used no 

 other article ; and the Indians who came to our house gladly adopted the 

 root, and made me show them the whole process of manufacturing it. 

 Experience taught me that the root of the dandelion is not so good when 

 dug in the Spring, as it is in the Autumn. I tried it in the Spring, but 

 the juice of the plant, having contributed to the production of leaves and 

 flowers, was weak, and destitute of the fine, bitter flavour, so peculiar to 

 coffee. The time of gathering in the potato crop, is also the time for 

 collecting and drj-ing the roots of the dandelion ; and as they always 

 abound in the same hills ("in Canada), both may be accomplished at the same 

 time. Those who want to keep a quantity for winter use, may wash and 

 cut up the roots, and dry them on boards in the sun. They will keep 

 good for years, and can be roasted when required for consumption.' " 



This is Mrs. Moodie's account of this plant, in its application, as a substi- 

 tute for coffee ; and it must be observed, that she so writes of it, after using 

 it in her family for many years ! 



The dandelion is within the reach of anyone who has the smallest patch 

 of ground ; and, as an article for general sale, it could unquestionably be 



