GINGER AND ARROWROOT. 59 



her with nutmegs and ginger, just as we should 

 treat a child with sugar-plums. 



" Ginger, as you know, is the root of the plant ; 

 but several plants of this kind produce very pun- 

 gent seeds, as the cardamoms, and some a still 

 hotter kind, called Grrains-of -Paradise. Others 

 yield a dye, as turmeric, which is much used in 

 manufactures. The pretty plant called Indian 

 Shot, of which we once had several specimens in 

 the conservatory, belongs to a neighbouring tribe, 

 called the ARROW-ROOT tribe. Three or four of 

 the species yield arrow- root in abundance, but espe- 

 cially one,* which is much cultivated in the West 

 India Islands." 



"How do they get the arrowroot from the 

 plant ?" asked Mary. 



" When the roots are a year old, they are dug 

 up, washed, and grated, or beaten to a pulp in 

 wooden mortars. This pulp is thrown into clean 

 water, and stirred about to separate the fibrous 

 parts, which are collected in the hand. The 

 milky liquor which remains is poured through a 

 sieve, and afterwards allowed to settle for some 

 time. The arrowroot sinks to the bottom, and 



* Maranta arundinacea. 



