MINOR VEGETABLE PRODUCTS AND THEIR souRcES. 203 
it is supposed that there are two varieties of the species, one producing 
white, and the other darker-colored ginger. The darker kinds are 
sometimes bleached by exposure to the fumes of chloride of lime, or 
burning sulphur. Ginger when broken across skows a number of small 
fibers imbedded in floury tissue. Its well-known hot, pungent taste is 
due to the presence of a volatile oil; it also contains a large quantity 
of starch and yellow coloring matter, inclosed in large cells. Ground 
ginger is largely adulterated with starch, wheat flour, ground rice, 
mustard, husks, &c., in various proportions. In a young state the rhi- 
zomes are tender, fleshy, and mildly aromatic. In this state they are 
preserved in sirup, and form the delicious conserve known as preserved 
ginger. West India gingers are preferred to those from the Hast Indies. 
Ginger is an aromatic stimulant, principally used as a condiment, and 
much employed in the manufacture of various liquors, cordials, and 
beers. An infusion, under the name of ginger-tea, is much used in In- 
dia. Amada ginger is furnished by the rcot-stocks of Cureuma amada, 
(Zingiberacece.) C.aromatica and C. zedoaria furnish zedoary tubers which 
are used as ginger, and as aromatic tonics by the natives of India. 
Turmeric.—This mild aromatic is furnished by the root-tubers of Cur- 
cuma longa, which is extensively cultivated in China. The older tubers 
are reduced to powder, which enters into the composition of curry-pow- 
der, and is used in sauces. It is also used for medicinal purposes, and 
as a chemical test for the presence of alkalies, which change its yellow 
color to a reddish-brown. In China it is used as a yellow dye, and the 
young tubers furnish a kind of arrowroot. Many others of this species 
furnish starchy products, and tonic stimulants. 
Liquorice.—The plant which yields the liquorice-root and paste of com- 
merce is Glycyrrhiza glabra, (Leguminose,) a native of the south of 
Europe. Itis a herbaceous perennial, and is cultivated to considerable 
extent in Spain and Italy. It is readily propagated from root-slips, and 
succeeds wellin deep, light, loamy soil. The roots require a growth of 
two to three years to be fit for use. Spanish liquorice is an extract made 
by slicing the root and boiling it in water; the liquor is afterward strained 
and allowed to evaporate to a proper consistency. It is further retined 
by redissolving, purifying, and again evaporating, and is then formed 
into quill-like rolls, and known as refined liquorice. It is used in con- 
fectiouery, in breweries, and also in medicine. G. echinata, and probably 
other species, furnishes the same principle of sweetness, which is called 
glycerine. 
Wild liquorice.—This name is applied to Abrus precatorius, (Legumi- 
nose,) a tropical twining plant. The roots furnish liquorice in the same 
manner as the roots of the true liquorice-plant. This plant is remarka- 
ble for its small, egg-shaped seeds or beans, which are of a brilliant 
scarlet color, with a black scar indicating the place where they were 
attached to the pods. These seeds are much used as beads for necklaces 
and other ornamental purposes. They are so uniform-in size and weight 
as to be used as a standard for weighing precious stones. 
Tamarinds are the truit-pods of Tamarindus Indica (Leguminosa,) a 
beautiful pinnated-foliaged tree, of the tropics. There are varieties of 
this tree, distinguishable chiefly by the size of the pods. The pods 
vary in length from 3 to 6 inches, aud are slightly curved. They consist 
of a brittle shell, inclosiug a soft, acid, brown pulp, traversed by strong 
woody fibers; the seeds are again immediately invested bya thin mem- 
branous covering. They owe their grateful acidity to the presence of 
citric, tartaric and other vegetable acids. Tamarinds form an import- 
ant ingredient-in the cookery of Eastern nations,as in the curries of 
