A M O 



A M O 



without vegetating. As the plants do not suc- 

 ceed on bcino; transpianted; the seeds should al- 

 wavs be sowii in placus where they are to remain 

 and flower, where the soil is rather inclined to be 

 moist, or in pots tilled with sueh sort of earth. 

 After the plants have risen to some size, they 

 should be thinned out when they stand too close- 

 ly together, and be kept perfectly clear fiom 

 rt'eeds. In diy seasons water should be given 

 them pretty frequently in slight proportions. 



This is a plant that may be employed in the 

 fronts of borders in gardens or pleasure-grounds, 

 or to be set out in pots with others of fhe more 

 hardy ar;nual kind. 



AMOMUM, a genus comprehending several 

 tender, herbaceous, exotic plants of the Ginger 

 kind. 



It belongs to the class and order ISkwanihia 

 JMonngif/i'ui, and ranks in the natural order of 

 Sc'itamnu-cp. 



The characters of which are : that the calyx is 

 a one-leafed j>erianthium, cylindraeeous, and 

 unequally trifid : the corolla is monopetalous and 

 funnel-shaped : the tube cylindraeeous ; the bor- 

 der three-parted, the parts oblong and spreading : 

 the nectary two-leaved or two-lipped ; the lower 

 lip inserted under the upper segment of the corolla, 

 spreading, almost erect, enUre or three-lc!)ed : 

 the stamina have no filament except the upper 

 lip of the nectary, which is smaller than the 

 lower, aud opposite to it, aeuuiinate, or three- 

 iobed at the tip ; along the middle or at the end 

 of which grou s longitudinally a large oblong an- 

 ther, gemtnate, or divided by a longitudinal fur- 

 row into two, which are onc-valved : the pislil- 

 lum has an interior, oblong germ : the style lili- 

 I'orm, drawn through the suture of the anther ; 

 the stigma turbinate, obtuse, and eiliate : the pe- 

 ricarpium a fleshy capsule, ovate, three-cornered, 

 three-celled, and three-valved ; the seeds are se- 

 veral, covered with a sort of berried aril. 



The species chiefly cultivated in stoves in this 

 climate are: \. A. Zinziler, iZimnwou ov Nar- 

 row-ieaved Ginger ; 2. A. Zcrumhel, Broad-leav- 

 ed Ginger; 3. yL Cardamomum, Cardamom. 



Inthelirst species theroot is creeping, bipal mate, 

 compressed; the fleshy tubers with age beeom- 

 ino- fibrous. The euim annual, two feet in height, 

 quite single, solid, and upright. The leaves are 

 half a fivot in length, smooth, narrow, alternate, 

 on short cmbraemg petioles. The scape sepa- 

 rate, eiffht inclu-s in height, thick, round, straight, 

 scaly, and usually without leaves. The spike is 

 upright, composed of large, ovate, subacuminate, 

 coloured scales, half closing the flowers, w hieh 

 itre of a blue colour. The calyx is a small, dou- 

 ble spaihe. The corolla yellowish green, with a 

 i I ng, sleuder tube ; the segments of the border 



conical, and nearly equal. The nectary is red- 

 di.:h brown, ovate, quite entire, petal-shaped, 

 winged on each side at the base, somewhat 

 shorter than the corolla, fastened to it below the 

 anterior fissure of the segmeiits. The filament 

 (upper lip of the nectary) filiiorni, placed on the 

 corolla, and shorter than it. The anther avate, 

 large, cloven longitudinally, embracing the filiform 

 stvle. The stigma cylindraeeous, and eiliate at 

 the tip. The capsule smooth, containing many 

 oblonji seeds. It is a native of the East indies, 

 and flowers here in September. 



The second species, or Broad-leaved Ginger, 

 has the tubers of the root mtU(,h larger, round, 

 twisted, thick, branched, horizontal, palc-eolour- 

 ed, with but little smell, and a bitterish, not an 

 ardent flavour like true Ginger. The culm four 

 feet in height, perennial, straight, quite simple, 

 round and solid, like the above species. The 

 leaves are lanceolate, large, smooth, petioled, 

 embracing, ascending obliquely. The scape a 

 foot high, distinct, thick, scaly, red. The spike 

 large, with rounded, close, one-flowered, red 

 scales. Theflowersof a white colour. The calyx 

 a single acute spathe. The corolla pale, with a 

 long tube : the upper segment of the border acute, 

 the two lower ones subqvate. The nectary of 

 the same colour, petal-shaped, very blunt, bifid, 

 fastened to the throat of the corolla. The fila- 

 ment flat, subidatc, bent in, adhering to the 

 hinder segment of the corolla, and nearly equal to 

 it. The anthers oblong, fastened to the middle of 

 the filament. It is a native of the East Indies, 

 and flowers here from September to November ; 

 when the stalks perish in the same manner as 

 in the true Ginger. 



The third species, or Cardamom, has thick 

 fleshy roots, resembling those of the large Flag 

 Iris ; which in the spring send forth many green 

 reed-like stalks, which rise to the height of seven 

 or eight feet, garnished with very long narrow 

 leaves, set alternately, closely embracing them at 

 their base. The stalks decay entirely in autumn, 

 and new ones arise from the roots in the spring, 

 but it has not yet produced any flowers in this cli- 

 mate ; though the roots thrive and increase gieatly 

 w-herethey are managed in a propermanner. 



According to Dr. Browne, the manner of pre- 

 paring the Ginger root for use in th.e West Indies 

 is this : When the stalks are wholly withered and 

 the roots taken up, which is generally done as 

 soon afterwards as possible, after being picked and 

 cleared, they are gradually scalded in boiling 

 water; they are then spread, and exposed to the 

 sun till the wholq is sufficiently cured ; when they 

 are divided into parcels of about one hundred 

 weight each, and put into bags for the maiket; 

 this is called black ginger. I'he white gip.aer is 



