436 SCJTAMINE^. 



A considerable proportion of the cardamoms in Indian 

 commerce consists of tlie seeds, without the husks. These seeds 

 are obtained from overripe fruits which have burst in the field 

 or during manipulation, and are of two kinds, Indian and 

 Chinese, The- latter are said to be the seeds of Amormim 

 wanthioides. {Uanhurify Science Papers^ pp. 100, 178, 250, 

 291.) 



r 



Amomum subulatum, -Ro^^,, is much larger than the 

 true cardamom, of a dark-brown colour and coarsely striated, 

 three- valved, each valve being furnished with three ragged, 

 membraneous wings, which extend f ix>m the upper part of the 

 f iniit and gradually disappear towards the apex. The seeds are 

 arranged as in the true cardamom, but are more numerous, and 

 are held together in each cell by a dark viscid saccharine pulp. 

 Their taste is aromatic and camphoraceous. They are much 

 used in the preparation of sweetmeats on account of their 

 cheapness. Value, Rs, 12 per maund of 37^ lbs. 



The Nutmeg Cardamom, or true Cardamomum 



majus,^ made its appearance in the Bombay market in 

 1885. Up to that time the only large cardamoms we have met 

 with have been the Bengal or Ceylon kinds. Under the name 

 of Hil-bawa it is correctly described by the Arabian physicians, 

 who no doubt were acq^uaiated with the genuine article. 

 Persian and Indian writers are evidently not acquainted with 

 it, although they copy the description given by the Arabs. 



The PhannacograjyJna has the following account of this rare 

 Cardamom: — ^^ The tvMO Cardamomum majus is a conical fruit 

 in size and shape, not unlike a small fig reversed, containing 

 roundish angular seeds, of an agreeable aromatic flavour, much 



resembling that of the Malabar cardamom, and quite devoid 

 of the burning ta^to of grains of Paradise. Each fruit is 

 I>erfora*^d, having been strung on a cord to dry ; such strings 

 of cardamoms are sometimes used by the Arabs as rosaries. 

 The fruit iu question is called in the Galla language Korarima, 



* Valerius Cordus, Hist. Plant, iv., 28 ; Mutluolus i., 27. 



