Spices and Condiments 



379 



A large, proportion of the supplies come from the Malabar Coast. In planting pepper in 

 this district, the jungle is cleared and planted with seeds of rice, cotton, castor oil, and other 

 " catch " crops, and also with the seeds of Erythrina indica, the latter being a large tree sub- 

 sequently used as a standard upon which the pepper vines are trained, and also as a shade 

 tree. The catch crops are regularly harvested, but the Erythrina is left to grow for two years, 

 when the poles are cut and planted out in regular rows. The pepper cuttings are then planted 

 at the foot of the poles, which quickly take root and afford support and shade to the vines. 

 Other trees used for a similar purpose are the Mango {Mangifera indica) and-the Jak (Artocarpus 

 integri folia). In two or three years the pepper bears spikes of red berries which are carefully 

 picked by hand, the men using light ladders to reach them. The berries are gathered before 

 they are fully ripe, and after being separated from the stalk by rubbing with the hands or 

 feet are spread on drying grounds (barbecues), where they become black and shrivelled. The 

 product is then ready for the market. 



" White pepper " has exactly the same origin as black pepper, but the berries are allowed 

 to become nearly ripe. They are then soaked in water, and the outer skin of the fruits removed 

 by rubbing with the hands. i 



" Long pepper " consists of the unripe fruiting spike of Piper longum dried in the sun. 

 The plant is a native of the Malay Archipelago, but is also cultivated in many parts of India. 



" Tailed peppers " or cubebs have been dealt with in the article on " Drugs." 



" Cayenne Pepper " : see " Chillies " in this article. 



Cloves 



Cloves are the unopened flower-buds of Eugenia caryophyllata, an evergreen tree reaching 

 a height of twenty feet or more, and regarded by botanists as a native of the Moluccas. 

 Supplies of the spice are chiefly obtained from Zanzibar and Pemba, but the best qualities 

 are said to come from Penang and Amboyna. The clove is by far the most important 

 agricultural product of Zanzibar and Pemba, where the trees flourish to perfection. They 

 are raised from seed, the young seedlings being very carefully shaded and watered. When 

 about six inches high the plants are gradually exposed to the full force of the sun and then 

 planted out in regular rows at distances of about twenty-five feet. The clove tree begins to 

 bear from the fifth to the seventh year. The picking of the young unopened flower-buds 

 commences in August and 

 lasts until about November, 

 each tree being picked, on an 

 average, three times a season. 

 The stalks and buds are 

 picked off by hand together, 

 and thrown on to grass mats 

 spread out on the ground. 

 The curing process which 

 follows is very simple ; the 

 cloves are picked from the 

 stalks (which are subse- 

 quently used as a source of 

 inferior qualities of clove oil), 

 and spread out in the sun to 

 dry, care being taken to place 

 them under cover during the 

 night to avoid the dews. 

 The curing occupies about 

 a week. pepper vines 



