248 



THE VEGETABLE GARDEN 



roots are then trimmed off about in. from the neck, and 

 any secondary shoots that may appear on the sides of the roots 

 are pinched out, the lower end of the roots being also shortened 

 so as to bring them all to a uniform length of 8 to lo in They 

 are then ready for planting, for which a trench i6 to i8 in. 

 deep is opened, and the roots are placed upright in it, about 

 I J in. from one another; the necks of the roots will thus be 

 about 8 in. below the level of the ground. The trench is then 

 filled up completely with good, light, well-drained soil. If a 

 speedy growth is desired, the surface of the trench, or of what- 

 ever portion of it is to be forced, should be covered with a layer of 

 manure varying in depth according to the quality of the manure 

 and the prevailing temperature, but never less than i6 in. nor 

 more than a little over 3 ft. In about a month's time, the leaves 

 will have attained their proper size. The manure is then taken 

 off, the roots are dug up, and the blanched head is cut off with a 

 portion of the neck of the root attached. Placing the layer of 

 manure under the roots has not been at all satisfactory, the heads 

 opening instead of remaining closed, from which it would appear 



that a heavy pressure is 

 needed in order to induce 

 the heads to grow into the 

 right shape. The Witloof 

 is eaten raw as a salad, and 

 also boiled, like the Curled 

 Endives. 



Broad-leaved Chicory. 

 — This is a very different- 

 looking plant from the 

 Common Chicory, of which 

 it is a variety obtained by 

 successive sowings of seeds from selected plants. The leaves are 

 broad, very large, undulated, and sometimes crimped, always more 

 or less covered with short hairs, and often resembling those of the 

 Green Broad-leaved Winter Endive in their form and arrangement. 

 When the plant runs to seed, the flowering stems are exactly like 

 those of the Common Chicory, so that it is very certain that this 

 plant is a variety of it, and not a hybrid between the Common 

 Chicory and the Endive, as some persons are inclined to think. 

 We should be much more disposed to assign this hybrid origin to 

 the Curled-leaved Chicory, described farther on. 



Improved Variegated Chicory. — A form of the preceding 

 variety, which has the leaves blotched and striped with red, or, 

 in the case of plants grown in the open air, with brown, which 

 changes to red if the plants are deprived of light. This very 

 bright variegation is very pretty in a salad. 



Broad-leaved Chicory natural size). 



