GUINEA PEPPER. 115 



and divided into cloves, is to be boiled in three 

 changes of water, and afterwards put into the 

 dripping-pan for about an hour before required for 

 use. It is served to table in the same way as onion 

 or bread sauce. 



Culture. There is at present but one variety 

 (sativum) cultivated ; it does not grow so large, and 

 is not so strong scented, as the one introduced some 

 years ago. The root is a compound bulb, and may 

 be divided into many parts, termed cloves. The 

 garlic is propagated by planting these cloves in 

 some light, and rather dry, rich soil, in drills two or 

 three inches deep, and six from each other. They 

 only require to be kept free from weeds ; and about 

 the end of July, or beginning of August, the bulbs 

 are generally full grown, which is evident from the 

 yellow appearance and withering of the leaves : they 

 must then be taken up, cleaned, and dried in the 

 sun, and afterwards tied or plaited in bundles, to 

 be hung up and preserved for use. 



23. GUINEA PEPPER. CAPSICUM. 



Guinea pepper, more generally known by the 

 botanic name of Capsicum, which was given to it by 

 the early writers in that science, signifying to bite, 

 from the hot biting acrid taste of the fruit. 



There are several varieties ; some of a shrubby 

 nature, growing three and four feet high ; but these 

 now treated of are annuals, whose fruit is of various 

 shapes and colours. All the sorts are natives of 

 South America, and were brought thence to Europe 

 by the Spaniards ; and we have accounts of their 

 i 2 



