Chicory

This is a species of the enadive and is commonly known by the name of chicory. The wild succory has long leaves, lying on the ground, very much cut in or torn on the edges, on both sides, even to the middle rib, ending in a point; sometimes it has a rib down the middle of the leaves. From the leaves rise a hard, round woody stalk, spreading into many branches, set with smaller and less divided leaves on them up to the tops, where stand the flowers, which are like the garden kind, and the seed is also; the root is whiter but harder and more woody than the garden kind. The whole plant is exceeding bitter. It grows in waste unfilled barren fields.

The plant has been celebrated as a cooler. It is of great service in all obstructions of the viscera, particularly of the liver. It has been extolled in complaints proceeding from a redundant bile; it is therefore good against jaundice, inflammation of the liver, and the gravel, as it works flatulent. The decoction is also good against worms. The seeds combined with worm-seed, and made into an electuary, destroy worms effectually.