fjCi :
I? LPI! á li'ÿ
stem rises about 2 ft. high, is biranched, and produces pale blue flowers in July and
August.
3911. Use. It is cultiv.'ited for the stocky head of leaves, which, after being blanched to take away the
b itte r taste, are used in salads and stews in autumn, winter, and spring. It is in great repute in England,
and still more so on th e continent.
3912. The va rie tie s are included in two classes : th e Batavian or broad-leaved, scaroles, F r.; breitb la ttrig e
endivie, G e r.; and the curled-leaved, chicorée, F r .; cndivien-cichorie, Ger. T h ere are five distmct
varieties in the first division, and twelve in th e second, but only one or two of them are to be had in
English seed-shops. (See L o n d o n H o r tic u ltu ra l T ra n sa c tio n s, vol. vi. p. 133., or G a rd en e r ’s Ma g a zin e ,
vol. i. p. 418.)
3913. E s tiin a te o f so rts. “ All the sorts are eligible for culture ; but allot, principally, the green curled
for the main crops of autumn and winter endive ; this being of th e most stocky full growth, and hardiest
to stand severe weather. As to the others, allot a smaller portion of th e white curled for early summer
and autumn use ; of the broad-leaved kind, provide a moderate crop for autumn, till November or D e cember.
being by some esteemed preferable for stews and soups, though not much used in salads.”
According to Matthews, the best broad-leaved endive is tho small Batavian, and th e best curled, the
small green.
3914. P ro p a g a tio n . All the varieties are raised from seed, of which, for a seed-bed 4 ft. wide by 10 ft.
in length, halt an ounce is sufficient.
3915. T ime s o f sow in g . The proper seasons are. May for a smaller early crop ; and principally June and
July to th e beginning of August, for full and succession crops, all autumn and winter, till th e followir~
spring. For, if sown earlier than th e middle of May or beginning of June, they will mostly run to stalk
sta
the same season, before attaining mature useful growth. If any are required for early young summi
summer
endive, sow only a small
portion of the white curled in April or Slay, as th e plants will soon run to seed,
In the middle or towards
the end of May, you may begin sowing m olera te ly of the different so rts ; but do
not sow fully till nearly th e middle of June, th at the plants may stand without running the same year.
About the 12th and 25tTa of th a t month, also at the begmning,and middle of July, sow the main and succession
crops for autumn and w in te r; and a final smaller sowing about the beginnmg of August, for late
supplies in the end of winter and following spring.
391G. Cidture in th e seed-bed. Sow each sort separately in beds of rich mellow earth, in an open situation
; scattering th e seeds thinly, and rake in th e seed. When the plants are up an inch or two in
growth, thin them moderately where in clusters, th a t they may have room to grow stronger and stocky
for transplanting. But if a portion are sown in soil of sufficient depth, and thinned to th e distances
mentioned under T ra n sp la id in g , instead of being moved, they may be expected to yield heads of the finest
kind, under the same culture as is given to the others.
3917. T ra n sp la n iin g . As th e plants attain a sufficient growth, being from 4 in. to 6 in. high, or in a
month or five weeks foom th e time of sowing, proceed to transplant the successive crops. The ground
should be light and rich on a dry subsoil. Dig it a full spit deep: set in shallow trenches, or drills the
depth of a hoe, endive blanches with less trouble than if inserted on a level surface. The lines may be
15 in. asunder; the plants 10 in. or 12 in. distant in the line. Drawing th e strongest first, plant out
portions from June till Oc tobe r; but the principal removals will fall in A u g u st; in which months
three different plantings may be made for succession; also for a general winter crop, a t the beginning of
September. While th e plants are in hand, trim the extremities of th e leaves, and shorten th e tap roots
a little. Water a t p lan tin g ; and moderately afterwards once in two days, if th e weather be dry, till the
plants take root. At the end of September, and in October, likewise plant some in a warm dry border,
to stand tho winter more effectually. Also, in the last fortnight of October or beginning of November,
i t would be proper to insert some stout plants thickly on a bank of dry light soil, raised a foot or two behind,
sloping to the south. Thus they will remain drier in winter, and will be preserved m ore securely from
rotting in th a t season. The bed might be also defended in severe weather with frames and glasses, or
with an occasional awning of mats or sail-cloth.
3918. Grange , of Kingsland, transplants in October, on sloping banks, at the base of hedges or walls ;
or if these are not to be had, he forms banks with a slope of 45° facing the south. The width of the face
of th e bank measures 5 f t . ; along it he places four rows of pantiles stuck more than half way into the
earth, with th e convex side to the sun. A plant of endive is thus placed opposite the conczive side of
each tile, the latter serving to keep its leaves dry. In winter these banks are covered with clippings of
hedges or straw to keep them dry, and to exclude the frost.
■■ As the transplanted crops advance to full growth, stockyand full A! „ J - ...„„1. A A„ 1.1.. „..I. l.iJ----3a„. „ J inAl _t_h_e_ h_e_a rt.,. .s1ome
crisp, and mild-tasted. Perform this in dry days; and in winter, when the weather is dry without frost.
Using strings of fresh bast, or small osier twigs, tie th e leaves regularly together a little above the
middle, moderately close. If th e soil be light and dry, earth them up half way; but if moist, merely tie
them. T h e two curled sorts, if neatly earthed up, will blanch pretty well without being tied. The Batavian,
from its loftier, looser growth, in every case hearts and hlanches better with a bandage. T h e blanching
will be completed sometimes in a weelt, when th e weather is hot and d ry ; a t others, it may take a fortnight
or three weeks ; after which th e endive should be taken up for use, or it will soon rot, in six days
or less, especially if much rain fall. To save the trouble of tying, this esculent is also occasionally blanched
b y setting up flat tiles or boards on each side of the plants, which, resting against others in an angular
form, and confined with earth, exclude the light. F arth er, endive may be blanched under garden-pots,
or blanching-pots, in the manner of sea-kale. In the heat of summer and autumn, tying up is b e s t; but
in wet or cold weather, to cover the plants preserves while it blanches them.
3920. Occasional shelter-. At th e approach of severe frost, cover some thickly with staw-litter. Also
plunge a portion into a raised bank of light dry earth, under a glass case, or covered shed, open to the
iouth. Protect with litte r in rigorous weather; but uncover, and give plenty of air on mild days.
3921. To save seed. “ Allot some of the strongest old plants in February or March, if any remain ;
otherwise, sow seed in March or April, and transplant or thin the plants to 12 in. to 15 in. distance.
They will shoot, and the seed ripen in autumn.”
S u b s e c t . 3. Succory, or Wild Endive.— Qichòrium I'ntyhus L. {Eng. Bot 539.) ; Syn-
genèsia Polygàmia ÀEquàlis L. and Qichoràcece J. Ckicorée Sauvage, Fr. ; Gemeine
Cichorie, Ger. ; Suikerei, Dutch ; Cicoria, Ital. ; and Achicoria, Span.
3922. The succory, or chiccory, is a hardy perennial not uncommon in calcareous
wastes and by road sides. The whole plant greatly resembles tho common broad-leaved
endive. It is but little cultivated in gardens in this country, though it is in much repute
on the continent, and especially in Italy. It has been grown in the flelds, in Fi-ance
and England, as a fodder for cattle, when coming into flower ; and is at present much
cultivated in Holland and Flanders, for the roots, which are dried, and ground, and used
on almost every part of the continent, partly along with, and partly as a substitute for,
coffee, by th o so w h o c am io t a f fo rd to u s e t h a t a r tic le g e n u in e ; b u t M U lc r a n d o th e r
E n g l i s h a n th o r s o n h o r tic u ltu r e d o n o t n o tic e i t a s a n a r tic le fo r th e g a r d e n .
3923. Use. The leaves are blanched and used as those of endive, or during winter forced in the dark,
and so blanched. In this state it is the B a rb e de Capucin of the F rench. It is also sown thick in frames,
and in th e open air. ancl when it has produced three or four rough leaves, is cut as a small salad. When
lettuce or garden-endive is scarce, chiccory can always be commanded as salading by those who possess
any qf the most ordinary means of forcing. T h e roots cut in pieces, dried and ground, afford a powder,
which Dr. Howison (Caled. H o rt. M em ., vol. iv. p. 132.) thinks preferable to that of coffee; and D r,
Duncan (D is s . to Caled. I I . S . 1820) is of opinion th a t the plant might be cultivated with great national
advantages, as a substitute for th at exotic berry. About Bruges, the roots are scraped and boiled, and
eaten along with potatoes, or with a sauce of butter and vinegar. T h e market a t Brussels is supplied
with blanched chiccory from the latter end of March till lettuces come in from th e open garden.
3924. Varieties. The French have th e c om m o n large-leaved, the chicorée à n a v e t, or café-chicorée,
with large white fleshy roots, and the variegated chiccory.
3925. Culture. Isaac Oldaker, an excellent practical gardener, who experienced the advantages of
cultivating this plant in the Imperial gardens near St. Petersburgh, gives the following directions “ It
should be sown in th e end of June or beginning of July, on a rich piece of ground, broadcast, in the
same manner as endive. When the leaves begin to cover the ground, thin out the plants, leaving those
that remain on the beds from 3 in . to 4 in. apart ; those pulled out may be planted into other beds, at
the same distance as those which are left to remain : keep them clear from weeds, and if the leaves grow
very strong, and shade the roots much, cut them off within 1 in. of the ground. The end of September
or beginning of October is the proper time to shift the roots: the leaves should be first cut off with caro,
so as not to destroy the hearts of the plants ; then dig up the roots, shorten them, and plant them in
pots or portable boxes, with a dibble, very close together, in rich mould ; give them water when dry, and
shelter them in severe fosts by a light covering of litte r. After they are well rooted, the pots or boxes,
as wanted, are to be removed into tlie mushroom-house or cellar, wLere they must be entirely excluded
from light, in order to blanch the leaves, which will be effected in six or seven days. Succory will thrive
in a heat of 60°, but it is best to keep it in a lower temperature. If th e roots are strong, each pot or box
wili bear cutting twice, after which they should be removed, and changed for the succession, as the leaves
of the future growth become bitter. ( I lo r t T ra n s ., vol. iii. p. 139.)
3926. Ci-op in cellars. On th e continent, the roots are taken up on the approach of winter, and stacked
in cellars in alternate layers of sand, so as to form ridges with the
crowns o fth e plants on the surface o fth e ridge. Here, if the frost be 782
excluded, they soon send out leaves in such abundance as to afford a
supply of salad during winter. If light is excluded, the leaves are
perfectly blanched, and in this state are known under the name of
B a rb e de Capucin. On ship-board it is customary to use a barrel of
sand with numerous holes (^¿-.782.), or a hamper, for the same pur-
pose.
3927. E a r ly sp r in g c rop in the Nethe rlands. Great quantities of the
blanched leaves of chiccory (Cichôrium /'n ty b u s ) are sold in the
markets a t the Netherlands very early in the spring, and supply a
grateful salad long before lettuces are to be had. The roots (which
are of the same shape and size as a carrot, and are extensively employed,
when dried, as a substitute for coffee) are taken up in autumn
and placed in a bed, almost as closely as they can stand together, with
merely a little earth to fill up the vacuities ; experience having seemingly
taught th e Belgian gardener th e important fact theoretically
pointed out by Mr. Knight, th a t the new annual supply of leaves of
plants of this description is derived from the stock of sap elaborated
in the preceding year, and requires nothing from the soil but moistu
re. Upon th e bed of roots, thus closely packed together and defended
from frost in winter, a slight hotbed of manure is laid in
spring, with 6 in. or 8 in. of earth interposed. Into this earth the
leaves shoot, struggling for light and air ; they thus become perfectly
blanched and crisp, and lose most of th e ir natnral bitterness. T h e adoption of this nlan of cultivatinir
chiccory, the large perennial root of which so peculiarly fits it for this purpose, might be r e c r inm r id S
to the gardeners In many great towns in the north of England where anv tl.inc in t „ r V t a
is rarely seen until the end of April, and then only tough green lettuces, far' more b t t S th a £ th i s In-
vrtingly white cliiccory. In the Netherlands, it is in prolusion trom th£ la tte r end of sTarch A^ a S e
o f chiccory might be grown on cheap land, five or ton miles distant from th e place of co“ rimpltota the
roots brought by waggons in autumn, and planted in a few hundred square fe lt of th em f y k T g a rS e r ’l
more valuable ground, which they would occupy only from October to April at which time I t is not
otherwise wanted ; and it m ight thus be profitably cultivated, so as to be sold as in t t e lÎX e r la n d s ¥
( S r S i S è t e f f i ' y m ) “ ' *° " “ “ n the roach 'of th e poorest individjab
3928. To save seed. Proceed as directed for endive.
S u b s e c t . 4. Celery.— Npium gravèolens L. {Eng. Bo t 1210.) ; Pentdnd. Dig. L.
UmhellifercB J. Celeri, Fr. ; Sellerie, Ger. ; Sellery, Dutdi ; Appio, Ital. ; and
, Span.
I. and
Apio
3929. The celery is a hardy bieimial plant, a natire of Britain, and known in its wild
state by the name of smallage. It is frequent by the sides of ditches, and near the
sea, where it rises with wedge-shaped leaves, and a fniTowed stalk producing greenish
flowers in August. The whole plant bas a rank coai-se taste, and the effects of cultivation
in producing from it the mild sweet stalks of celeiy are not a little rem.arkable
A head of celeiy, wo are informed {Caled. Hort. Mem., vol. ii. p. 297.), was dug up
on the 4th of October, 1815, at Longford, near Manchester, which weighed 9 lbs.
when washed, with the roots and leaves still attached to it, and measured 4 ft. 6 in.
in height. It was of a red sort, perfectly solid, crisp, and firm, and remai'kably weli
flavoured.
3930. Use. T h e blanched leaf-stalks are used raw, as a salad, from August till March ; thev are also
stewed, and put in soups. In Italy, unblanched leaves are used for soups ; and when neither the
blanched nor the green leaves can be had, the seeds, bruised, form a good substitute. The root onlv of
3 K 2
1
¡' ,