336 SPICES 



CHAP. 



Owen said that the most successful planting he had 

 was from shoots of growing plants with a few roots 

 attached, which came on without a failure. It would be 

 difficult to get a large quantity of these at the right 

 stage, but the younger the bulbs the better. He 

 suggests the following plan if time is no object and can 

 be afforded. Plant the bulbs in a nursery uncovered, 

 and water them when necessary. If left in long enough 

 they will throw out shoots which can be broken off with 

 a few roots attached and will succeed admirably. 



In India the plant is more commonly grown from 

 seed, but an account in Rice's Gazetteer (quoted in 

 Watt's Dictionary] says, referring to Mysore, that they 

 are propagated entirely by cuttings. A cluster of from 

 three to five stems with the roots attached is separated 

 from a clump in the month following the autumnal 

 equinox, and planted in the same row, one between 

 every two areca-nut palms in the spot from which a 

 banana plant has been moved. 



The ground around the plant is manured with leaves 

 of the Phyllanthus emblica tree. The plants fruit in 

 the third year in the autumnal equinox, and after fruit- 

 ing the plants are dug up, separated, and planted in 

 fresh places, all superfluous stems and roots having been 

 previously removed. The stems all die and new ones 

 spring again. The plant does not fruit the year following 

 its transplantation, but the year after that, after which 

 it is again taken up and transplanted as before. 



Raising from Seed. The seeds of cardamom are 

 contained in capsules, and it is necessary when raising 

 a plant from seed to select only perfectly ripe fruits. 

 When ripe the capsules are of a yellowish colour and 

 readily split into three valves. By squeezing the ripe 

 capsules the seed is discharged, but it adheres together by 

 a glutinous substance, composed mainly of the arils. To 

 free them from this mass and cause them to separate 

 readily it is necessary to expose them to the sun or a 

 current of air. The former is the most effectual and they 

 soon become dry. The seeds are then readily separated, 



