104 ODOROGEAPHIA. 



also. As in probably all cases the soluble essence is saturated 

 with essential oil, the final filtration must be effected at a lower 

 temperature than any to which the essence is likely to be exposed. 

 The product as thus obtained is very pale in colour, but if a 

 darker essence is preferred it is only necessary to add one or two 

 drops of solution of potash to give an alkaline reaction, when the 

 rich orange tint due to the action of the alkali upon the remainder 

 of the /3 resin will be immediately produced." The elegant 

 preparation has been found very useful for the manufacture of 

 aerated w^ater. 



Grains of Paradise. 



These seeds, above-mentioned as having an aromatic, pungent 

 taste, reminding of the odour of Galangal, are the produce of 

 Amomum Melegioeta, Eoscoe, an herbaceous perennial plant of the 

 same ]SIatural Order as Ginger, three to five feet in height, native 

 of Guinea, and widely distributed in western tropical Africa, 

 being found near the coast from Sierra Leone to the Congo. The 

 part of the coast known as the " Grain Coast," or " Pepper Coast," 

 by reason of its production of " Grains of Paradise," is situated 

 between Liberia and Cape Palmas. The Gold Coast, where these 

 seeds are chiefly forwarded to, is more eastward, in the Gulf of 

 Guinea. The plant is grown in other tropical countries, and has 

 succeeded in Guiana (Demerara). 



The word " Meleguetta," which is sometimes spelt in other 

 ways, is the African name of the seeds, although Humboldt 

 accounts for the word as a derivation from the Indian word Malaga, 

 meaning Pepper,* in fact ; these seeds also bear the English name 

 " Melegueta Pepper," besides that of " Guinea grains." The name 

 Melegueta Pepper is not exclusively applied to these seeds, but is 

 used to designate the fruit or seeds of several Zingiberaceous 

 plants,! as well as to Pimento and Allspice, j 



The plant is totally distinct from the Ainomum Granum 

 Paradisi of Linnaeus, Hooker, § Afzelius|! and Smith.^ The Aviomum 



* Examen critique de 1' Hist, de la geographie, i. p. 257. 

 t Pharm. Journ. [i.] ii. p. 443. 



Z Ortega, Histo. nat- de la Malagueta, 6 Pimenta de Tavasco. 

 § Hooker's Journ. of Bot. and Kew Misc., vi. p. 295. 

 II Remedia Guineensia Upsalise, p. 71. 

 H Rees' Cy. Art. Mellegetta and Sup. Art. Amomum. 



