CHICORY, or SUCCORY (Fr. chicorec. Lat. cichorium, from Gk. tax6pLop, kiehorion, chicory). A plant belonging to the genus Cichorium, of the natural order Composit:e. the same natural fam ily of plants to which the sunflower, the oxeye daisy, the dandelion. the lettuce, and other use ful and obnoxious plants belong. The few spe cies are all herbaceous perennials, with spread ing branches and milky juice, natives of Europe and western Asia. Chicory has become natural ized in the United States, occurring as a weed along roadsides, in fence rows, and in fields. Common chicory ( ('ichoriu intybus) grows from one to five feet high. The leaves resemble those of the dandelion, but are generally larger, with the exception of those on the upper part of the stalk, which are small and inclined to be lanee-shaped, and the flowers. of a beautiful blue, though sometimes pink or white, occur in heads from 1 to inches in diameter. The plant has a long, carrot-shaped root, whitish-yellow or grayish-yellow in color on the outside. but white
within. Chicory is quite extensively cultivated in Europe for use as a 'table salad, for fodder, and for the roots. It is also grown to some extent for its roots in the United States. ( For illus tration, see SALAD PLANTS.) The young leaves, when properly blanched, are considered equal as a salad to those of endive, a plant belonging to this same genus. The young green leaves are eaten much in the Caine manner as spinach, and the roots, as long as they are young and tender, are also used as a food. The 1 t p.an. also has some merit as a forage crop. It is princi pally cultivated, however, for its roots, which arc roasted and ground, and in that form are used as a substitute for coffee and as an adu10,r ant for coffee, snuff, and other articles. Chicory itself, however. is soinctimes adulterated.