CHICORY ROOT. Ciehorium Intybus, Linn. Com posite. Figs. 331, 332.
The cultivated chicory or succory has an enlarged taproot resembling, in some varieties, the root of the parsnip, and in others, that of the forage beet, but it does not attain the size of the latter. The taproots range from eight inches to two feet or more in length and one to three inches in diameter. The plant is perennial. The seed stalks bear clusters of brilliant blue or occasion ally pink or white flowers (closing about noon), and are nearly destitute of leaves except near the base. The florets are all perfect, and all ligulate or rayed ; pappus a short chaffy corona. The leaves and roots have a milk-white juice. When escaped from cultivation, chicory becomes a pestif erous weed.
Culture.
Chicory may be raised on almost any good land north of the fortieth parallel of latitude. Local ities and soils that have demonstrated their suit ability to the production of sugar-beets are also well adapted to the growth of chicory.
Chicory grows best on a well-drained loam soil, and it is important that it be free from large stones and from hard-pan, because of their inter ference with the development of the long, straight root that chicory should possess. The plant is strongly drought-resistant. The methods of cul ture are very similar to those used in raising sugar-beets, and instructions given for that crop may be followed by the chicory-raiser. The only essential difference is in the planting. One to one and one-half pounds of seed per acre are used, and should be drilled in not deeper than one-half to three-fourths of an inch. The culture requires very careful attention and much hand-labor.
Uses.
The principal use to which chicory is put, and for which it is most largely grown, is that of an adulterant or substitute for coffee. For this purpose the taproot is dried, roasted and ground, and either mixed with ground coffee or used alone. In Europe its use in this way is very common. Many of the European countries have laws to prevent the adulteration of chicory, as it is con sidered that no other adulterant for coffee is so desirable. The flavor that pure chicory imparts when roasted, ground and boiled, does not resemble that of coffee, but is rather bitter. However, when it is mixed with a good quality of coffee in the proportion of one part of chicory to three or four parts of coffee, the result is very pleasing, and by many persons such a mixture is considered superior in flavor to pure coffee. In spite of the fact that pure chicory does not resemble coffee in flavor, it is used in this condition as a table beverage both in Europe and in the United States, although the consumption in the latter country is compar atively small. The chicory root is also used
medicinally and the leaves as a salad, but the consumption for these purposes is small.
Importations.
Most of the chicory used in the United States is imported from European countries. The larger part of this comes from Belgium and the remainder from Germany, Great Britain, Nether lands and France. The annual importation of raw and prepared roots increased gradually to a max imum of 17,329,170 pounds, valued at $246,393, in 1897, but dropped in 1899 to 494,616 pounds, valued at $13,414. The decrease was practically all in the raw product, the importation of prepared roots amounting to 399,009 pounds in 1897, and to 335,347 pounds in 1899. By 1904, the total impor tation had reached the figure of 4,672,515 pounds, valued at $88,487. The Twelfth Census reports a production of 21,495,S70 pounds of chicory root in the United States in 1899. Of this, 19,876 970 pounds were raised in Michigan.
Importance as an industry.
The fact that this commodity is imported into America has led to the establishment of the indus try here, although the market for the product has never permitted an extensive development. Mich igan, Nebraska, Illinois and Wisconsin have been most active in its prosecution. The industry naturally centers around a factory for preparing the roots, as the raw product is too bulky to permit of long shipments. The business of man ufacturing chicory roots into a finished product has been a somewhat uncertain one, owing to the ease with which the market is glutted by a large crop in this country or in Europe. The farmer usually raises chicory on contract with a manufacturer, the former agreeing to plant a stip ulated number of acres and to deliver the roots to the factory, the latter guaranteeing to pay a certain price per ton for all roots delivered. Unless such a contract can be made, it would be unwise under ordinary circumstances, for a farmer to plant chicory.
Profits from culture.
The price paid for chicory roots ranges from six to eight dollars per ton. Six to ten tons per acre may be expected under ordinary conditions. The cost of raising an acre of chicory will vary from thirty to forty dollars.
Literature.
Bulletin No. 19 of the Division of Botany, of the United States Department of Agriculture, is a monograph on the subject. Bulletin No. 49 of the Nebraska Experiment Station contains directions for the culture of chicory. The Cyclopedia of American Horticulture contains an article on chic ory as a medicinal and salad-making plant. [See also article on chicory in Farmers' Cyclopedia, Orange Judd Co., New York city.]