6 



LIOORIOE. 



Glycirrhiza Glabra Diadelphia. — Decandria. 



The Licorice is one of the most important of the plants that are destined 

 to be added to American agrieuliure, and it merits at our hands an early 

 adoption, on account of the facility of its culture, its great usefulness for 

 various purposes, and the large profits it yields to the cultivator. "When J 

 the high-priced lands of England and France are profitably devoted to it, : 

 how much more lucrative must it prove where land is plentiful and cheap, 

 and where, above all, (as is the case in several of the Western States,) the 

 soil is naturally permeable, free from stones, and no manuring required. 

 It is indeed mortifying to American pride to witness the many thousands 

 now annually paid to Europe for an article like this, so simple in its cul- ; 

 ture, that we ought to be the largest exporters of it, thus adding another 

 item to our Granary of the World. 



The Licorice is a deep-rooting perennial plant, of the Leguminosoe, the I 

 roots creeping to a considerable distance. It has herbaceous stems, four " 

 to five feet high, with composite dark green leaves. The flowers, which ' 

 are blue, come out in axillary spikes during July and August. It has j 

 long been extensively cultivated in Spain, and since the commencement \ 

 of Queen Elizabeth's reign it has been largely grown in various parts of) 

 England. 



The soil for the Licorice should be a deep sandy loam, or other light > 

 soil, and be trenched by the spade or by a subsoil plough, or by the aid 

 of both, two to two and a half or three feet in depth, and well manured. 

 The light, permeable soils of our "Western States, which are enriched by 

 nature, are the soils preeminently suited to the most profitable culture ^ 

 of this plant. 



The propagation is by cuttings of the root, and usually the small side 

 roots are taken for this purpose, and made into cuttings 4 to 6 inches in 

 length. The planting season may be either Autumn or Spring, as most 

 convenient. The cuttings should be planted in rows, two and a hall 

 to three feet asunder, and at the distance of eighteen inches in th€ 

 row. During the first season, the plants do not attain a hight of more 

 than a foot, and the space between the rows maybe used to grow onions. j 

 lettuce, beans, or similar vegetables. Keep the ground free from weeds. I n 

 and, after the subordinate crop comes off, hoe and dress it well, when li 

 for economy, a horse-hoe or cultivator may be used. During the second i 

 season a crop of vegetables, covering less width than the first, may be tl 

 grown, each year allowing additional space to the increasing stems of th«, ii 

 Licorice. Every autumn the haulm should be cut and removed after il e 

 becomes withered. As this plant spreads its roots rapidly in every direc d 

 tion, they will form a complete mass, yieldinpr immense crops. S 



At the end of the third Summer's growth, the roots will have increasec \ 

 so as to be taken up, which is usually done by commencing at one side o 

 the field and trenching over the ground. The roots can be immediatel} 

 sold to the brewers, distillers, druggists, and other consumers and venders 

 or they may be preserved in sand till wanted for use. If, however, the^ 

 are intended for transportation, they should be dried, and tied in bundles 



Licorice is used very extensively" in brewing porter, and in medicinal j 2 

 and various other preparations where saccharine matter of this descrip.i ^ 

 tion is desirable. j 



