CHAPTER XXVII. 

 PEPPERS. 



Chile Pepper. Capsicum annuum. 



French, piment; German, pfeffer; Dutch, Spaansche, 

 peper ; Italian, peperone ; Spanish, pimiento ; Portuguese, 

 pimento. 



The settlement of California by people of Spanish birth 

 or descent naturally brought the pepper into early promi- 

 nence in this State, and the considerable fraction of our 

 population which now traces to south of Europe nations 

 serves to hold the plant in popularity. American citizens 

 have also wide liking for the pepper in some of its uses, 

 and the result is large local demand for the capsules both 

 in green and mature states. There is this main division 

 in the demand the northern races prefer the large, green, 

 mild varieties; the southern races chiefly use that which is 

 ripe, red, and fiery in flavor. But of course this distinction 

 is not to be pushed too far. Each kind has its uses which 

 are observed by all consumers. In the California markets 

 the two kinds or conditions stand side by side in such 

 quantities as to make them conspicuous. 



Though the pepper is usually an annual, it carries its 

 profitable productive life into the second year in the 

 thermal regions of the State. The stem has a tendency 

 to become woody and after a period of partial dormancy, 

 it sends out new shoots and bears its second crop. This 

 cannot, however, be expected in a frosty location. 



Garden Culture. Peppers are usually grown from 

 plants started early by artificial heat in the same manner 

 indicated for egg-plant. Planting out should be done 

 after danger of frost is over and the soil is well warmed 

 by the sun. Later plants may be grown by planting the 



