R'eglisse. S'ushols-Barenzuker.

No. 830. - Licorice is a hardy perennial plant, the root of which abounds with a sweet juice, and is much used in demulcent compositions. It has fleshy, creeping roots, which, when undisturbed, attain great length and penetrate deep into the earth. The roots are the only part of the plant used, and are used by porter brewers-and confectioners and for medicinal purposes. The sweet, mucilaginous juice, which is extracted from the roots by boiling, is much esteemed as an emollient for coughs and colds.

Culture

No. 831. - It is propagated by planting slips of the roots, four or six inches long, that have two or three buds. Plant them in March, as soon as the ground can be worked, eighteen inches apart in rows that are three feet apart, covering them with three inches of earth. Every year late in autumn, when the sap has gone down and the leaves turned yellow, cut the old stem down with a pruning knife to a level with the ground. At this time the creeping stems are forked up and cut off close to the main stems. They are then preserved in sand for future planting. The roots will be ready for taking up three years after planting. This should be done towards winter, when the sap goes down in the roots. A trench three feet deep should then be dug around the roots, so they can be extracted without injury to them. They are then kept in sand until used.