The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1885-12-05
The Licorice Plant,

The licorice plant is found in Syria, in
Western Ardalusia and other parts of
Spain, in Asia Minor, Greece, and is cult
waited in Surrey and Yorkshire, England.
1t is believed that it could be successfully
grown in the United States, especially in
the warmer portions. 1t is very impor-
tant article of commerce, the import of the
root alone to the United States in 1884
amounted to 80 ,057 900 pounds, valued at
100000. This is not taking into consid-
Grafton the powdered licorice and the other
forms in which it is sold From the reports
of American counsuls in foreign lands we
have recently learned many interesting facts
about licoricc. Stick licorice is made by
crushing and grinding the root to a pulp,
which is boiled in water over an open fire,
and the decoction, separated from the solid
residue of the root, is evapOrated in copper
pans till a sufficient degree of concentra-
ton is attained, after which, on cooling, it
is rolled into the form of sticks or other
shapes, for the market. The preparation
of the juice is widely extended industry
along the Mediterranean coasts; but the
quality best appreciated is made in Gala
bria, and sold under the name of Solazzi
and Corigliano juice. The licorice grown
in Yorkshire is made into confection
called Pontefract cakes. Licorice was first
cultivated in England in the reign of
Elizabeth. The plant, very graceful, with
feathery leaves, is planted in ridges, and
does not come to perfection until the fourth
year. The sandy soil suits it, and the IL
brous roots are sometimes ten or twelve
feet deep These are dug in autumn, and
pounded in the following winter; the juice
thus extracted is boiled down and mixed
with gum arabic and other ingredients, and
mixed into large cakes
One of the best varieties of licorice grows
wild in Sicily, and in parts of that island
the farmers look upon it as pest it is so
hard to subdue. The plant grows to the
height of two or three feet, and bears a
small yellow flower When the roots are
taken from the earth they are bound in
bundles. and upon the backs of mules
transported from the fields to the factories.
Here they lie in store for time in state
OF seasoning. When the roots are suffici-
emily cured men and women, with hatchets,
cut them in bits of from three to six inches
in length. These are then plunged into a
vat Of water and thoroughly washed.
They are then crushed in mill of rude
construction 1t consists Of two circular
stones Of lava. The one is in horizontal
position; the other, perpendicular, rests
upon it. Through the centre of the upper
stone is an axle, to which is attached a
mule, which rcvolves it slowly in a circle
(cart-wheel like upon the lower stone. A
workman with wooden shovel is constant
ly employed in keeping the roots beneath
the revolving stone When the roots arc
sufficiently crushed they are placed with
water in kettles and boiled for twenty four
hours. They are then removed from the
kettles and placed beneath screw-press,
and all the juice is thoroughly squeezed
out, which runs into a cistern beneath.
This juice is pumped from the cistern and
passed through sieve into kettles and the
boiling resumed. The sediment from the
straincr is again pressed.
The contents of the boiling kettles is a
second time filtered. When boiled to the
proper consistency 1t Is removed to broad,
shallow kettle over slow fire, where
workmcp with spades continue to stir it
until it becomes dense enough for paste.
Then it is removed and placed in wooden
moulds of the size they wish the cakes OF
by workmen worked into little rolls or
sticks When cold and hard the cakes
are wrapped in paper and boxes for export.
The little rolls or sticks of licorice are
placed upon shelves to dry. When they
become perfectly dry and hard they arc
packed in laurel leaves in boxes.
In preparing the root for market women
with knives scrapc off the bark and then
cut it into bits of one-half inch or longer
in length, as the purchaser may wish
These are then dried in the sun and placed
in bags for export.