Chicory
(Cichorium Intybus). Succory, or Wild Endive. A hardy perennial, native of Britain. The plants are cultivated much more in France than with us, chiefly for the leaves, which are blanched and used as a salad. A variety called the Coffee Chicory is grown, in some parts of the Continent, for the roots, which are cut up and prepared as a substitute for coffee. Another large-growing variety, called the Witloof, is much cultivated in Belgium; and since it was introduced to this country, it has gained favour as a vegetable, cooked whole, or blanched, and used as the other varieties. The culture is very easy, and the leaves, if grown quickly and well blanched, are wholesome and much esteemed. The plants may be blanched outside in summer, but the salad is best when forced in winter, forming what is called by the French Barbe de Capucin" The roots grow somewhat like Carrots, and may be taken up in autumn, and forced in the same way as Sea Kale.
Cultivation. An open situation, with rather light and moderately rich soil, should be selected for preparing roots of Chicory for winter forcing. The seed should be sown in drills, 1ft. apart, in May or June, the plants being thinned when up to a distance of 6in. Occasional hoeings between the rows, to keep down weeds, will be all that is necessary during the summer. If summer supplies are required, successional sowings should be made in the same way, about every month, from April to October, and the leaves blanched as soon as they are large enough for use.
Forcing. Chicory may be successfully forced in a temperature of from 55deg. to 60deg. The roots should be placed, about 3in. apart, in boxes or large pots of soil, care being taken to keep the crowns just above the soil. A good watering is necessary to settle the earth around the roots. The pots or boxes should be placed in a warm, dark position. A mushroom house, kept dark and having a suitable temperature, is a very good place. A succession must be kept up, but a second or more crops may be so obtained from the same roots, which, however, will not be so strong as the first. The Common Chicory is mostly grown, but the Witloof will succeed under the same treatment. Empty pots or boxes, of the same sizes as those used, should be inverted over the roots to exclude light; or the darkness of a mushroom house may be sufficient in many cases.