Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1862-02-12
CHIcKoRY-DANDELIoN.

Chickory grows wild in most parts Of Europe
and IN England-and is naturalized in America
is said that large quantities of it grow in Eastern
North Carolina. 1t blossoms in August and Sep.
tember. and can be easily recognized by its large
pale-blue flowers. The stem grows from ! to feet
In height ordinarily but under cultivation, may be
brought up to feet It has large white tap-root,
which, when cultivated, greatly increases in size.
These are taken up before the plant shoots into
fiower-are washed sliced and dried; it is then
roasted till Of chocolate color. Two pounds of
lard are roasted with hundred weight and the
root loses in roasting from Is to 30 per cent When
ground and exposed to the air, it becomes moist
and clammy, increases in weight, and smells like
liquorice the taste being sweet at frst-t now has
the appearance of ground coffee. It has not, how
ever, the essential principle, theine) Of coffee, and
therefore cannot serve its physiological purposes,
nor has it the pleasant aroma. 1t does have an
empyreumatic volatile oil, produced during the
roasting, which perhaps exercises nervesoothing,
hungerstaying influence upon the system; it has,
also, ottor principle. These ingredients Of chick
ory are probably not injurious to health, if taken
in small quantities, but a prolonged and frequent
use produces heartburn, cramp in the stomach loss
of appetite acidty in the mouth constipation inter.
mittent diarrhoea tremblings, sleeplessness cloud
ness of the senses, &C., &c. Itgves color and taste
like unto, hence its introduction for adulteration
with coffee, to make money for the cofee-seller.-
The chickory-dealer adulterates his chickory with
Fenetian-red, roasted wheat rye, acorns, carrots
and oakbark powder, to please the eye of the coffee
dealer and the Venetian-red manufacturer grinds
up his color with brck-dust for cheapness and va
rety, to secure the patronage of the chickory deal
er! Thus saith the record of the best authorities
To detect chickory in Coffee put the powder in cold
water 1t gives dark brownish color-coffee does
not. This simple test sometimes greatly weakens
our faith in "coffee extracts" 70 detect Coffee
put into the infusion some salts Of the peroxide of
iron, it becomes green and gives brown-green pre-
cpitate, chickory gives brownish yellow, and no
precipitate.
lions tooth, and so called from fsncied resem.
bance of its single forets) is well known plant,
belonging to the same class and order Of the chick
ory or succori, as sometimes called. The flowers
very conspicuous in early spring, and are hailed
as the harbinger of warm weather in the Northern
United States. 1t has perennial root Of bitter
milky juice. the leaves of which when banched are
used as salad; the root when dried and grohnd, is
used to adulterate coffee, but does not possess the
aroma, nor the characteristic principle, nseins of
coffee. Like chickory, its color and cheapnsss are
the cause of its being mixed with coffee: these
please the popular taste-hence the case with which
imposition Of the grossest character is practlced-
AS medicine it is said to be aperient, detergent,
and strongly diuretic, when used fresh.
Six or eight millions of pounds of chickcry are
imported into England annually from Europe-we
know not how. many into this country. The use of
such vast amount is one of many instances, show.
ing how easy it is to create corrupt taste among
the masses Of society, which taste afterwards de-
mands the expenditure of millions Of hard-earned
dollars to satisfy its own vicious cravings. Wealth
produces luxury, and luxury introduces a horde of
false habits and appetites, which rob manhood Of
its true nobility, and weaken the ife-blood of the
physical, moral and intellectual man. No people
in the world are more wealthy than we Of these
Confederate States, and 20 people have or will
have greater need for chemical research and un-
conouerable will to withstand the ten thousand
evils that war against our Development
j. s: W.