A M O 



without vegetating. As the plants do not suc- 

 ceed on being transplanted; the seeds should al- 

 ways he sow n in places where they are to remain 

 and Mower, where the soil is rather inclined to be 

 moi>t, or in pots filled with such sort of earth. 

 Alter the plains have risen to some size, they 

 should be thinned out when they stand too close- 

 ly together, and he kept perfectly clear from 

 weeds. In dry seasons water should be given 

 them pie! iv 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 the more 

 hardy annual kind. 



AMOMUM, a genus comprehending several 

 tender, herbaceous, exotic plants of the Ginger 

 kind. 



It belongs to the class and order Monandria 

 Monogyiria, and ranks in the natural order of 

 Scitaminece. 



The characters of which are : that the calyx is 

 a one-leafed perianthiurn, cylindraceous, and 

 unequally trifid : the corolla is Ynonopetalous and 

 funnel-shaped : the tube cylindraceous ; the bor- 

 der three-parted, the parts oblong and spreading: 

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

 lip inserted undertheupper segment of the corolla, 

 spreading, almost erect, entire or threc-lobed : 

 the stamina have no filament except the upper 

 lip of the nectary, which is smaller than the 

 lower, and opposite to it, acuminate, or three- 

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

 of which grows longitudinally a large oblong an- 

 ther, gemmate, or divided by a longitudinal fur- 

 row into two, which are one-valved : the pistil— 

 him has an inferior, oblong germ: the style fili- 

 form, drawn through the suture of the anther ; 

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

 ricarpium a fleshy capsule, ovate, three-cornered, 

 three-celled, and' threc-vahed ; the seeds arc se- 

 veral, covered with a sort of berried aril. 



The species chiefly cultivated in stoves in this 

 climate are : 1 . A. Zinzihr, Common or Nar- 

 row -leaved Ginger ; 2. A. Zcrumbet, Broad-leav- 

 ed Ginger-, 3. A. Cardamomum, Cardamom. 



Inthclirst species the root is creeping, bipalmate, 

 compressed; the fleshy tubers with age becom- 

 ing fibrous. The culm annual, two feet in height, 

 quite single, solid, and upright. The leaves are 

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

 on short embracing petioles. The scape sepa- 

 rate, eight inches in height, thick, round, straight, 

 scaly, and usually without leaves. The spike is 

 upright, composed of large, ovate, subaeuminate, 

 coloured scales, half closing the flowers, which 

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

 ble spathe. 'flu- corolla yellowish green, with a 

 ling, blender tube; the segments of the border 



A M O 



conical, and nearly equal. The nectary is red- 

 dish brown, ovate, quite entire, petal-shaped, 

 winged on each bide at the base, somewhat 

 shorter than the corolla, fastened to it below the 

 anterior fissure of the segments. The filament 

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

 corolla, and shorter than it. The anther ovate, 

 large, cloven longitudinal lv, embracing the till iorm 

 styie. The stigma cylindraceous, and ciliate at 

 the tip. The capsule smooth, containing many 

 oblong 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 much larger, round, 

 twisted, thick, branched, horizontal, pale-colour- 

 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. The flowers of a white colour, 'flic calyx 

 a single acute spathe. The corolla pale, with a 

 long Tube : the upper segment of the border acute, 

 the two lower ones subovate. The nectary of 

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

 fastened to the throat of the corolla. The fila- 

 ment flat, subulate, bent in, adhering to the 

 hinder segment of the corolla, and nearly equal to 

 it. The antherae 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 w ith 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 greatly 

 where they are managed in a proper manner. 



According to Dr. Browne, the manner of pre- 

 paring the Ginger root for use in the West Indies 

 is this : When the stalks are w holly withered and 

 the roots taken up, which is generally clone 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 whole is itliciently cured ; w lieu they 

 are divided into parcels of about one hundred 

 weight each, and put into bags for the market ; 

 this is called black ginger. The while ginger is 



