The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1886-05-13
The Cultivation of Licorice.

Consul Woodcock, of Catania, Sicily,
says that there are two species of licO-
rice plant in his consular district The
one sends main root to the depth of
from three to six feet, with but few
lateral roots; the other does not sink so
deep in the earth, but creeps beneath
the surface at depth of from six inches
to two feet the latter being most pro-
ductive, and the most highly priced. 1t
is stated that if the licorice plant were
cultivated, instead of being allowed to
grow wild, it would yield much larger
results; but the Sicilians are of opinion
that its culture will not pay, so they are
satisfied by collecting it as produced by
nature in its wild state. No use is made
of the stem except for fuel. The icorice
plant grows most luxuriantly in the val
leys adjacent to streams of water; it is,
however found among the foot hills of
the mountains, but grows less luxuriant-
ly there. 1t requires a moist soil con-
sisting of clay loam; the climate must
be warm, such rs is adapted to the
growth of oranges. lemons. and other
semi-tropical fruits. 1t cannot endure
frosts, or cold, high attitudes. The root
continues to grow for four or five years,
when it is considered in the best condi-
ton for gathering. The root will con-
tinue to grow for ten or twelve years
longer, but it is not considered SO rich
in juice-yielding quality. The crop is
gathered from the same ground once in
four or five years, and on the average
100 pounds of the root produces sixteen
pounds of licorice paste.
During the months of June, July,
August, and September, and the first
part Of October, the root is not disturbed,
for the reason that it is then in full vege-
tation, and for the further more impor-
tant reason that the ground is dry and
baked by the sun, and it is with
much difficulty and great expense that
it can then be dug. As soon as the au-
tumn rains set in in sufficient quantity
to saturate the ground. the root harvest
commences During the months above
mentioned the manufactures of licorice
are idle. doing little or nothing in the
way of manufacture. In Catania itself
there are seven manufactures of licorice,
which employ from twenty to forty
hands each. When the roots are taken
from the earth. they are bound in bum
dies and carried on the backs of mules
from the fields to the factories, where
they are laid by for time to season.
When the roots are sufficiently cured,
men and women with matches cut them
in pieces ranging from three to six
inches in length. These are then
plunged into a vat of water anu thor
oughly washed. They are then crushed
in Q mill of rude construction. 1t con-
sists of two circular stones of lava, one
in horizontal position, and the other,
which is perpendicular, resting upon it.
Through the center of the upper stone is
an axle. to which is attached a mule,
which revolves it slowly in circle upon
the lower stone. A workman with a
wooden shovel is constantly employed
in keeping the roots beneath the revolv-
ing stone. When the roots are suffici-
emily crushed, they are placed with
water in kettles and boiled for twenty
four hours. They are then removed
from the kettles and placed beneath a
screw press. and all the juice, which is
thoroughly pressed out, runs into q els
tern beneath. This juice is pumped
from the cistern and passed through
sieve into kettles and the boiling re-
sumed. The sediment from the strainer
is again pressed; the contents of the
boiling kettles are n second time filtered.
When boiled to the proper consistency,
1t is removed to a broad shallow kettle
over slow fire, where workmen,
with spades, continue to stir it, until it
becomes dense enough for paste; it is
then removed and placed in wooden
moulds of the size they wish the cakes,
or worked by the workmen 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. and when they become perfectly
dry and hard. they are packed in laurel
leaves and boxes In preparing tho
root for market, women, with knives,
scrape off the bark, and then cut it into
pieces of about half an inch in length,
or as desired by the purchaser. These
are then dried in the sun, and placed in
baOs for exnOrt ssspF,