New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1856-01-07
THE CULTIVATION OF LICORICE.

To the Edito, Of The " Y. Tribune.
SIR: The hcoricc is one Of the most important OF
,he plants that are destined 10 be added 10 American
agriculture and il merits at our hands an early &Iop-
ton ON account Of the facility of its culture rs great
usefulness for various purposes and the large profits IL
Yields to the cultivator When the highprced lands
of England are proitably devoted to IT, how mach
more r,munerative must it prove where land Is pient-
full and cheap, and where above ALL les 10 the case IN
several of the Western States the soil IL naturally
permeable free from stones, and no manurng required
II ia indeed notifying to American pride TO witness
the thousands now annually paid TO Europe for an ar
tice like this so simple in its culture that ought to
be the largest exporters OF 1T and thus add another
item to our grandry Of The .orh .,,,
The licoiice is deeprooting perennial plant OF the
eruminosae the roots creeping TO considerable dis
tance IL 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. II has long been extensively cultivated IN
Spain and since the commencement OF Queen Eliza
beths reign has been largely grown in various parts
The soil for the lcorce should be o deep sandy
loan, other light soil, and be trenched oy the space
or by a subsoil plow by the aid Of both, two to
half three feet IN depth, and well MANFRED
The LIGHT pemeabe soils of our Western States, which
are enriched by nature, are the soils prominently
shifted to the most profitable culture OF this plant.
The propa CATION by cuttings of the root, and usu
ally the sma side roots taken for this purpose and
made into cuttings six inches in length. The planting
season may be- either Autumn Spring, most con-
yenient. The cuttings should be planted in rows
two and half to three feet asunder, and at the dis
lance of eighteen inches in the During the irst
season the plants DO not attain hight OF more than
n foot, and the space between the rows may be nsed
to grow onions, lettuce beans Or similar vegetable
keep the ground tree from weeds, and, after the sub
ordinate crop comes off, hoe and dress il well when,
for economy q hOse-hoe or cutivator may be used.
During the second and third crop OF vegeta-
bles covering LEES width than the first may be grown
each year allowing additional space TO the increas-
ing stems of the icorice. Every Autumn the haulm
should be cut and removed after Il becomes witbered.
As this plant spreads its roots rapidly IN every direc-
tion they viii forma complete mass, yielding immense
crops. -.
At the end of the third Summers growth the roots
will have increased so as TO be taken up, which -
usually done by commencing at one side Of the heId
and tenching over the ground. The roots can De m
me- diately sold to the brewers, druggists and other
consumers and vendors, they may be preserved in
and till wanted for Use. II, however, they are in.
tended for transportation, they should be dried and
tied in bundles.
I.coice Is used very extensively in brewing porter,
and in medicinal and various other preparations where
saccharne matter Of this description i desirable.
FirshfDS, j. l., Jan. T. WV. H. rH'SH-