19-22.] 



Liquorice Growing. 



8B1 



of lifting the roots entails the moving of the soil to a depth of 

 three to four feet it can be readily seen that the ground will be 

 left in a well tilled condition for the next crop. 



The soil before planting as a rule receives a dressing of 

 between 30 and 40 tons of manure per acre. Planting takes place 

 •during the end of March and early April, the land having pre- 

 viously been worked into flattened ridges about 8 J ft. apart 

 and 4 in. high. Two rows of sets are planted on each ridge, 

 the sets being placed singly 8 in. to 12 in. apart. Planting is 

 done with a dibble. The sets consist of runners which resemble 

 very much the underground stems of the perennial Sunflower, 

 and the crowns of the old plants which have been taken up the 

 previous season. The runner and the crown sets are usually 

 planted alternately, and then covered to a depth of 1 in. to 2 in. 

 with soil. 



A wet time after planting usually results in many of the sets 

 rotting and failing to grow, the best results being obtained if the 

 weather continues dry for the first 3 or 4 weeks after planting. 



During the season the plants require no attention except 

 keeping free from weeds and cutting down the old stems in the 

 autumn or winter. For the first two years the land is cropped 

 between the ridges with early potatoes, cauliflowers, carrots and 

 other kinds of vegetables. The fourth year the plants are usually 

 lifted, this taking place during October and November. The 

 labour bill in lifting is a heavy item, rarely less than £60 an 

 acre. 



Trenches have to be dug 3 to 4 ft. deep along the sides of the 

 rows so that the entire root may be obtained. When removed 

 they are trimmed of the small roots and runners, the crowns 

 removed for future planting, and the roots tied into bundles 

 weighing 3i lb. each. These are collected and made into bales 

 weighing 1 cwt., and in this condition they are sent to the 

 different markets. The crowns are sorted over, the old or 

 original crown that was planted being cut away, and these 

 together with the small roots are known as offal, and are sent to 

 manufacturing chemists and made into various liquorice prepara- 

 tions. The young crowns together with the runners are retained 

 for plantinfT the next season. The price of the liquorice root 

 varies considerably. At £5 or even £6 per cwt. it is said to 

 yield no profit. A fair price is considered about £8. but during 

 the War much higher prices were realised. For the offal only 

 about 8s. a cwt. is obtained. The weight of baled root obtained 

 per acre is about 2 tons, and of the offal onlv a few cwt. 



