242 Mr. WurrE's Description and Natural History 
About a fortnight earlier than here stated, the Cardamoms on 
the western or sea-side of the Ghaüts are gathered ; and to this 
they give the name of the Kann? crop, or that of the month an- 
swering to the period from the middle of September till the 15th 
of October: the other above the Ghaüts they style the Wretcha- 
gau, from the month answering in like manner to our November 
— December. T 1 nl | 
The prior maturity of. the — is ascribed, and not without 
reason, to the milder temperature of the ocean cherishing the 
western exposure, while this gives them the full effect of the 
sun’s beams till he sets. It is also found that, during the rainy 
monsoon, the intervals of fair weather are more frequent than 
above the Ghaáts ; all which circumstances create an equability 
of climate favourable to the earlier production of the spice. The 
process of reaping keeps pace with the simplicity of the previous 
management. A dry day being chosen, the fruit-stalks are plucked 
from the roots, carried to their houses, and laid out to dry on 
mats placed upon a thrashing-floor: a series of four or five dry 
days is sufficient to complete the desiccation. The pods being ex- 
tricated, by stripping with the fingers, are separated into three or 
four sorts, denominated from their respective qualities: 1. Talli- 
Kai, the head fruit; 2. Nadu-Kai, the middle; and 3. Poulo- 
Kai, the abortive fruit. The last being thrown away, the 
two former are mixed together; the purpose of the separation 
being to ascertain the relative proportions, and to render the 
whole uniform and marketable. They are then laid up in mat- 
bags made of the Pandanus sylvestris of Rumphius, a plant 
growing every where around their houses and fields. These bags 
are of two sizes, one holding 32 pounds avoirdupois, or a Com- 
pany's maund in Malabar, ^" the other 16 pounds. ua 
"phe bundles thus prepared by the galtirator are Mec pra 
carried 
