110 



PEPPER 



In a wild state it grows to a height of twenty or thirty feet, 

 but when cultivated it is kept back by pruning. 



It bears little flowers arranged along a stalk about three 

 inches long in the same way as those of red currants, about 



twenty or thirty on each 

 stalk, and the fruit when 

 ripe is a small red berry 

 about the size of a pea. 



As soon as the berries 

 at the base of the stalk 

 begin to turn from green 

 to red the whole crop is 

 gathered. It is spread out 

 to dry in the sun, and then 

 the berries are separated 

 from the stalks by being 

 rubbed by hand, after 

 which they are winnowed, 

 so that all leaves and twigs 

 may be removed. 



When dry the berries 

 are black and wrinkled ; 

 they form the black pep- 

 per of commerce ; white 

 pepper is obtained by 

 soaking the berries in 

 water, and then removing 

 their skins ; it is not 

 nearly so pungent as black 

 pepper. 



CULTIVATION. Pepper requires a hot climate and a rich soil, 

 and, although it requires a fair amount of moisture, it will not 

 thrive on swampy, undrained land. Along the Malabar coast 

 of Southern India, where the best pepper in the world is 

 grown, the cuttings for a new plantation are put into the earth 

 just before the June rains, and as soon as they are tall enough 



PEPPER VINE 



