The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1863-02-11
'tr's From tho Ohio Farmer.
What AK,ous Chiccory

Among the new. lessons taught by this war,
is thrt the local independencc, by which any
section of the counsfy may, in any emergen-
! cy, produce its own neeessaries OF life. The
high price sf coffee has compelled many peo-
pie of economical habits to adopt substitute,
and consequently we frd very many families
using rye and barley for coffee Rye is very
convcuient substitute and also quite palata-
Bile, but it lacks the richness of the genuine
article, while thu aenlsSae arficle Itself lacks
| the richness as Rc!Izsrs me hcaIth hfaiasas a4
another substitute, which, when once intro
Eauced would hold the first place in the esti-
i alton of consumer, even in preference to
,, Java or Mocha, at the old prices. This SUBJ
stitute is ChiccoIy. e
WHAT rs cHIccoRY?
Chiccory is a vegetable, much like pars
nip in appearance, but more ike carrot in
size, both as to root and top. It is staple ar
tiele of farm produce in Germany, where it is
grown IN its greatest perfection, and from
whence It is exported to European and Amer.
lean markets, and largely used in hotels, as a
cheap and every way acceptable substitute for
the best quality of coffee.
HOW cHIcooRY rs GROWN.
The seed of Chiccory is much like that of
the parsnip. 1t is best sown IN drills, W hich
for garden culture SHOULD be about eighteen
six inches apart in the row. If field culture,
the drills should be far enough apart to be work
ed with horse and small plow or cultivator
In fact the cultivation of chiccory is so much
like that of carrots, that no other rules need
be given, than to sow ard cultivate the same
as for carrots. Tho time for sowing il the
same as for corn planting.
The Soil for growing chiccory must be a
warm sandy, or loamy soils worked deep and
6ne, and if not already rich, make SO by an
application of well conposted manure.
Harvesting When the roots become Of
fair size, any time during the season, they may
be taken out as needed for use; but theibulk of
the crop should be allowed to attain to full
maturity, when the roots should be lifted du-
ring taiF weather, dried upon the ground until
the dirt will fall off readily, then stored like
other similar roots, to await the process of
working up.
HOW CHTccoRT IS WORKED UP.
When desired to be worked up for coffee,
the roots being clean of dirt, either by brush
ing or washing them, or sliced in quarters
from end to end, and than cut cross in pieces
about an inch in length In this shape, they
are to be dried, much the same as apples are
dried each piece of chiccory bAieg abont the
size of an. n.appie quuTTater, They may be strung
upon strings md hung up to dry in tho sun or
by the kitcHeadres the Famc as farmersrdry
apples or they may be exposed to the sun on
racks or wickers, TO be ia en- in of nights
Or though not so good way. except in case
of necessity, they may be cured in ovens or
dry kilns, as apples are sometimes cured
When this irst process cf curing is accom-
plished, and the roots is wanted for final use,
it is carefully roasted, the same as coffee, till
it will break up in a mortar grind in mill,
after which pounding or grinding, it is steep
ed or drawn in the usual way, and poured out
for beverage.
In this way all the work is done in the
family, and the cost ofthe -oots ready for the |
coffee is not moro than three or four cents
pound, while you have healthier beverage
rhan if you went to the expense of purchasin |
imported coffee, with the additional satisfsc-
ton of feeling that ycu are partaking of the
fruits of your own home labor.
We hope to be able 10 announce to the rea-
iers of tho Ohio Fdrnr, where, and and at |
what price chiccory seed may be obtained, in
season fer next spring'splanting.