The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1885-10-30
The Lloorlce Plant.

The licorice plant is found in Syria,
in Western Andalusia and other parts
of Spain, in Asia Minor, Greece, and
is cultivated in Surrey and Yorkshire,
England. 1t is believed that it could
be successfully grown in the United
States, especially in the warmer por-
tions. 1t is very important article of
commerce, the import of the Root
alone to the United States in 1884
amounting to S9,O57, 900 pounds, val
ned at SS00,000. This is not taking
into consideration the powdered lico
rice and the other forms in which it Is
sold. From the reports of American
consnls in foreign lands we have re-
Gently learned many interesting facts
about icorice. Stick lcorice is made
by crushing and grinding the root TO
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 suilic
lent degree of concentration is at
tanned, after which, Oh cooling, it is
rolled into the form of sticks or other
shapes, for the market. The prepara
ton of the juice is widely extended
industry along the Mediterranean
coasts; but the quality best appreciated
is made in Calabria, and sold under
the name of Solazzi and Corigliano
juice. The lcorice grown in York
shire is made into confection called
Pontefract cakes. Lcorice 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 fibrous roots are some
times 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 licoricc
grows wild in Sicily, and in parts of
that island the farmers look upon il as
a pest, it is 80 hard to subdue, The
plant grows to the height of two or
three feet, and bears a small 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
sufficiently cured men and women, with
hatchets, cut them in bits of from three
to six inches in length. These are
then plunged into 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 revolves it slowly in cir.
Gle (cart wheel like) upon the lower
stone. A workman with wooden
shovel is constantly employed in keep
ing the roots beneath the revolving
stone. When the roots are 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 cistern
beneath, This juice is pumped from
the cistern and passed through sieve
into kettles and the boiling resumed
| The sediment from the straineris again
pressed. .....
The contents of the boiling kettles
is second time filtered When boiled
to the proper consistency il is removed
to a broad, shallow kettle over a slow
fire, where workmen with spades con,
tinue to stir it until it bccoms dense
enough for paste. Thea it is removed
and placed In wooden moulds OF the
size they wish the cakes or by work
men worked into little rolls or sticks.
When cold or hard the cakes are
wrapped in paper and boxes for ex-
port.
The little rolls or sticks of lcorice
are placed upon shelves to dry, When
they become perfectly dry aud hard
they are packed in laurel leaves and
boxes.
In preparing the root for market
women with knives scrape off the
bark and then Cut IL into bits of one
half inch Or longer in length, as the
purchaser may with. These are then
dried in the sun and placed in bags for
export.