16 



Capsicum annuum ; Filfil Akhdar or Ahmar ; Pod or red pepper : 



Solanaceae. 



I: (a)Baladi (b)Roumi; The former is a perennial, low, shrub-like form. 



The fruits are oblong, pendulous and tapering. They are green and, 

 when ripe, of a beautiful reel colour, the acrid properties being only 

 developed in the old fruits. When red the fruit is dried, ground and 

 used the same as Cayenne pepper. The plant is very prolific, and 

 the fruits very hot. (b) of which there are a few forms, produce 

 comparatively larger fruits -- with much milder characters. They are 

 annuals and comparatively low. These are obtained from imported 

 seed and are much less prolific. 



The Capsicum conicum var : Orientale (Arb : Shatta) is occasionally 

 grown the fruits are small and red when ripe. Extremely hot and 

 pungent largely used as Cayenne pepper. 



II : By seed-which ought to be fresh. 



Ill : July. 



IV : 40 50 days after planting, on ridges 21/2 feet between the 

 ridges and the plants 50 70cm. apart according to the var. (a) requi- 

 ring more space. Transplant when seedlings are about 15 20 cm. high. 



V : About 60 days after transplanting The best and most of the 

 fruits are obtained during October and November. The growth is 

 cheeked from about December the 15 th to begin ing of February and a 

 second crop is taken in April. 



VII : Their use in cookery is incidental ; however the milder and 

 larger forms are often cooked stuffed with rice, etc ; eaten raw when 

 green but chiefly made into mixed pickles before they are over ripe. 

 When red the hot forms are ground up into a fine powder and used 

 the same as Cayenne pepper for flavouring, etc : When red, capsicums 

 may be put on strings, and hun^ up in a dry store-room for later use, 

 as required Condimental and in native medicine considered stimulant 

 and stomachic. Externally it is used as a rubefacient in rheumatism - 

 also in the case of haemorrhoids both externally and internally etc. 



VIII : A light, moist rich soil is nesseary. It must be heavily char- 

 ged with humus in the form of f. y. manure. 



The Baladi, although perennial generally speaking it is annual, under 

 cultivation. It requires pruning and manuring before active growth com- 

 mences, towards the end of February. 



