242 Mr. "White's Descripiion and Natural History 



About a fortnight earlier than here stated, the Cardamoms on 

 the western or sea-side of the Ghadts are gathered ; and to this 

 they give the name of the Kanni crop, or that of the month an- 

 swering to the period from tlie middle of September till the 15th 

 of October: the other above the GhaAts they style the Wretcha- 

 gou, from the month answering in like manner to our November 

 — December. 



The prior maturity of the former is ascribed, and not without 

 reason, to the milder temperature of the ocean cherishing the 

 western exposure, Avhile 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 theGhaAts; 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 

 clays 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. Poitlo- 

 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, 'i'hey are then laid up in mat- 

 bags made of the Fandanus 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, and the other \6 pounds. 



The bundles thus prepared by the cultivator are immediately 



carried 



