244 SPICES 



CHAP. VIII 



but are of moderately large size, and give large sized 

 seeds, that is to say, supply fine samples of white 

 pepper. The finest form in this region is the Trang 

 pepper, in which the seeds are much smaller than 

 ordinary pepper, but fetch a higher price. Barber, in 

 the paper above quoted, gives an account of the 

 varieties of pepper cultivated or wild in Madras, from 

 which I take the following notes. 



Balamcotta. This may be regarded as all round 

 the best pepper of the district. It is very widely 

 distributed and appears to be the main Tellicherry 

 variety. Its leaves are the largest of all peppers. 

 They vary, however, a good deal according to age, those 

 bearing spikes being very much smaller and narrower 

 as well as lighter in colour than the older ones. The 

 general colour of the vine is light green, being lightest 

 at the time of flushing. The leaves when full grown 

 are twice as long as broad, 10^ in. long and 5 in. wide 

 being an ordinary size. They are oval to ovate, broadest 

 at the middle, where there is a distinct bend, giving the 

 leaf almost an angular appearance ; one side is broader 

 than the other. The flowering branches are drooping 

 and the internodes long. The leaves are flat, the veins 

 not strongly marked, tips straight. The spikes are 

 long, sometimes as long as 6 in., the flowers distant, 

 the spaces between them three times as long as the 

 flower. It is usual for this variety to flush all over at 

 about the same time, and the crop can be gathered at 

 one time. A strong variety and heavy bearer. 



Pure males of this variety have been met with. 

 The foliage in hermaphrodite plants is variable in form 

 and size, and any uniformity in the Balamcotta variety 

 may be looked on with suspicion, as in all probability a 

 vine of this character is devoid of stamens. 



Two varieties of Balamcotta pepper are described, 

 the leaves of which are more uniform than those of the 

 typical form. These are known as the wavy-leaved 

 Balamcotta and the small-leaved Balamcotta. 



The first has distinctly wavy edges to the leaves, 



