114 



Salad Crops 



projecting an inch or so above the earth. The place should 

 be kept dark. In a month or less, the small leaves are 

 produced. 



Witloof and barbe (barbe-de-capncin) are different 

 forms of white forced chicory tops. Witloof ("white 

 leaf ") is a compactor head than barbe, being raised from 

 a strain or variety of roots grown for the purpose; the 

 looser and more leafy tuft or head of barbe may be pro- 

 duced from ordinary chicory roots. The culture and han- 

 dling of the two products are essentially the same. Wit- 

 loof is a delicate slightly bitter salad, much prized in 

 winter and spring, and imported into this country from 

 Europe, sometimes under the name " French endive.^' Its 

 culture is simple, however. 



Seed for witloof is sown in spring in rows about 18 

 inches and the young plants thinned to 6 inches. The 

 plants should grow continuously throughout the season; 

 and at the approach of cold weather the roots are lifted, the 

 tops cut 2 inches above the crown, and the roots stored in 

 a cellar, so that they will remain dormant till needed. When 

 the forcing is begun, the roots are trimmed on the bottom 

 so that they are 8 or 9 inches long; the roots are set up- 

 right in sand or soil in boxes or beds, being very close 

 together; about 8 inches of clean sand are placed over the 

 crowns; the tops soon begin to push through if a tempera- 

 ture of 55° to 60° is maintained and sufficient moisture 

 is provided; in two weeks the cone of leaves should be 

 ready for the table. A good head or cone is about 6 inches 

 long (Fig. 47). 



The Endive and Chicory Plants 

 Cichorium. Compositce. Annual, biennial and perennial 



