436 
and is preferred in a blanched state to the 
Barbe de Capucin and other Chicories grown 
in France. The part used is the tuft of young 
radical leaves represented on fig. 1189, and this 
is either eaten raw as a salad, or cooked whole 
and served with white or cream sauce. Grown 
Y 
Fig. 1189.—Chicory (Cichorium Intybus). 
and blanched under similar conditions, it is, how- 
ever, of doubtful superiority to the improved | 
Chicory. 
If Chicory is grown as a small salad, it may 
be had all the year round by sowing every 
fortnight or three weeks in the open ground, or 
on a hot-bed, according to the time of the year. 
In general, however, sowings in the open ground 
from the end of April to the end of October 
will be sufficient, as the blanched leaves are used 
during the interval. When grown for this pur- 
pose, the seed should be thickly sown broadcast; 
and in summer a cool shady situation should be 
chosen. Watering is all that is required till 
the plants are fit for cutting over, which should 
be done as soon as they have made the first 
three or four leaves. 
Cultivation for Blanching.—In order to obtain 
the blanched leaves of Chicory, several modes 
of cultivation have been recommended. 
The late Mr. Fleming of Trentham recom- 
mended the following :— 
THE GARDENER’S ASSISTANT. 
An open border should be chosen for Chicory, 
and as it produces long Carrot-shaped roots, the 
soil should be deep, rather light, and moderately 
rich. Fresh manure should not be applied 
unless the ground is very poor; and when it is 
really necessary, guano will be found preferable 
to that from the stable. If guano is used, it 
should be sown broadcast over the beds as 
soon as the plants are fairly up. The ground 
should be double dug and well pulverized to the 
full depth, in order that the long tap-roots may 
meet with no impediment in their downward 
progress. About the middle or end of June, 
the seed should be sown in drills, 16 inches 
asunder. If the seed seems good it should not 
be sown too thickly, for the plants must be 
thinned out to the distance of 8 inches from 
plant to plant. This is a much better method 
than sowing in a bed and afterwards trans- 
planting, as they are liable to lose their tap- 
roots during the operation, to obviate which is 
an essential point in their successful cultivation. 
As snails are particularly fond of Chicory, espe- 
cially when the plants are young, it will be 
advisable to sprinkle a little quicklime over the 
beds as soon as the plants are above ground. 
Nothing more is necessary, except to fork be- 
tween the rows before the leaves cover the 
ground, and afterwards to keep the beds free 
from weeds. 
By the end of November the larger leaves 
will have decayed, leaving only a few small 
ones in the hearts of the plants. At this time 
they should be taken up and neatly laid in at 
the back of a north wall, to prevent the undue 
excitement occasioned by warm weather. Care 
should be taken to injure the roots as little as 
possible during this operation. 
A fortnight before the blanched leaves are 
required for use, a sufficient quantity should 
_be removed into a spare corner of the Mush- 
room-house, or some similar place, where they 
can have a little heat. They should be planted 
in old tan, sand, or some other light material 
which contains just sufficient moisture to set 
the fibres in motion. In planting, the crowns 
should stand at least 4 inch above the surface, 
and any loose soil should be removed from 
about the leaves with a syringe, in order that 
the young foliage may be perfectly clean when 
cut. In about ten days the leaves will have 
made a vigorous growth of as many inches, | 
and if they have grown in perfect darkness the 
colour will be a delicate creamy white. When 
the leaves are about a foot high they will be 
ready for use, and as soon as they are cut the 
