344 SPICES 



CHAP. 



taneously, but in ones or twos at a time, the fruits on a 

 scape are not all ripe at a time. There will be blossoms 

 and immature fruit with the ripe fruit on the same scape. 

 The scapes, in fact, go on producing fruit for at least 

 a second season. 



GATHERING 



It is common among Indians, and indeed also among 

 European cultivators, to pull off the whole racemes, 

 thereby wasting all the fruit which is unripe, and there- 

 fore valueless at that time. This is extravagant and 

 wasteful, and only the capsules absolutely ripe should 

 be gathered, the rest left to ripen for a second picking. 



The capsules, when ripe, are known to be so by 

 their turning from green to yellow, and should be full 

 and firm at that time. 



It has been found that cardamoms when plucked 

 are apt to split in drying, and even the pressure of the 

 fingers may crack them. When fully ripe they split of 

 themselves, and as the least touch then causes them to 

 fall, it is necessary to gather before they have turned to 

 the deep yellow of full ripeness. 



The seeds, however, turn black and develop their 

 full aroma before the fruit is absolutely ripe, but has 

 begun to turn yellow. Considerable practice is necessary 

 before the coolies can tell what is ready for collecting 

 and what is not yet ripe. To obviate the splitting 

 during drying, the fruit should be cut off with a small 

 portion of stalk attached. In Ceylon this is effected by 

 the use of a specially made pair of scissors. The ones 

 recommended by Mr. Owen have very short cutting 

 blades 1 in. long, with handles 4 in. long. 



The work of collecting with these scissors is long and 

 tedious, and the coolies dislike it, and are apt to get 

 careless in their work. The method is to hold the 

 raceme in the left hand while the ripe fruits are clipped 

 off. The fruit should not be held in the hand, as it 

 might split if it was fully ripe. 



The fruits out of reach of the scissors among the 



