Charles City intelligencer. [volume] (Charles City, Floyd County, Iowa) 1864-1866, 1865-02-23
Sgritulturai.
succory or Chiccory.

succory or Chiccory.
EDITORS PRAIRIE FARMER Much has
been written lately, in the papers, in
regard to cultivation and preparation
of the chiccory roots. This plant is 9
new crop in the western States, and
few farmers have the right hang of it
therefore, take the liberty to write
you an article on its cultivation and
preparation for market, as | have prac.
ticed in the last two years, with good
success.
Sir Arthur Young brought the first
seed from France to England, in the
year l7SS, but its cultivation has not
become general until within the last
fifty years.
Large quantities of the ground chic
cory began about the year 1885, to be
imported into England, and as much
as about 5000 tons year, was sup
posed to be brought from Belgium
alone and at this present time, Eng
land exports into the United States Of
America, about 10000 tons per year,
and Germany about 10000 tons, to
the great amount of Sc, 99S, 900 at the
present price of % cents per pound.
Importers can buy the dried root on
board the vessel, delivered, at 81 to I
cents per pound, aud have to run the
risk in what condition the root will
arrive some is partly mouldy, some
all The ground chiccory costs from
IL TO Is cents, in gold I; importers
have to run the same risk as with the
roots.
There are coffee dealers iu Chicago,
who use from 40 to SO tons per year,
and some of the proprietors have told
me that they could not sell any ground
coffee, ii it is not mixed with chiccory.
CULTIVATION AND PREPARATION.
The soil best adapted to it is deep,
rich and loamy, but it will grow up
on any land favorable for potatoes,
beets and carrots. By all means
avoid weedy ground, unless you have
plenty of help that cannot do any.
thing else but wedding. The ground
should be fall plowed the quantity
of manure will depend on the condi-
tion OF the land. say about four loads
of good sharp dung. laid on broadcast,
AS an average, 10 the acre, when
ready for rowing up, which will pre-
vent the ridges being twice turned.
The time of planting the seed depends
ON the season and the condition of the
land the latter end of April or begin
ming Of May is preferable.
The ridges are from 20 to "a inches
apart, SO you can easily cultivate
them. Let the ridges lay about three
or four days before You plant it. to
settle down. Hitch on the roller, and
fasten as many seed drills behind the
roller as your roller may cover ridges,
and get as many boys as you have
seed drills, to hold up the drills and
guide them. In that manner you will
plant from six to eight acres per day.
The roller will level the ridges, and
prevent the seed from being planted
too deepin the ground half an inch
will be deep enough if the ground is
moist one inch if dry. 1t takes one
and one-half pounds Of seeds per acre
providing the seed is good. The
plants will be up in about FIVE or six
days.
After planting. you may take the
shovel pillow and ridge up the ground
again, which the roller has pressed
down. About two weeks after plant.
ing, you may 60 through with one
nff hn trr
take the single shovel pillow. If the
plants stand too thick, thin them out
when you are wedding the drills.
The plants are To be two or three inch.
cs apart from each other.
Particular care must be paid for
the cleaning and wedding. Those
plants which run to head must be
watched and drawn when they show
flower they will prove woody and
worthless. The proper time for TAX
ing up the roots depends on the sea.
son when planted; in April they will
he ripe in September. The roots
should not be used until they are four
months old from the time Of planting.
When you consider the roots ripe take
pillow (made on purpose for IT'D which
runs from Is to 20 inches deep aud
drawn by three yoke of cattle, gang
OF boys IL follow the plow. and pick up
the roots, throwing in heaps aud cut
the tops off From the field the roots
are taken to the washing place, and
when washed they should he cut by a
machine into pieces about half an inch
square. They are then placed on a
kiln to dry. until they are ready for
roasting. which will take from SO to
As hours After taking the roots from
the kiln, they must he put into re-
volvihg iron cylinder to roast after
roasting managed in similar way to
coffee. The average crop will be
from five to six tuns per acre.
FRANCIS l. BLATTNER.
Iroyas County, Jan. 2 1865