CHAP, xii CORIANDER, ETC. 385 



under the name of Kustumburu. It is also mentioned 

 in the Bible as resembling the manna (Exodus and 

 Numbers). It is mentioned, too, by Cato in the third 

 century, and Pliny states that the best came in his time 

 from Egypt. It has been cultivated to a larger or 

 smaller extent in Europe, North Africa, and India ever 

 since. 



The name Coriander is derived from the Greek 

 Coris, a bug, from its odour. In England, the farmers 

 formerly called it Col. 



In India it is Dhanya, in Hindu, Danga (Nepal), 

 Kuzbarah, Kurbuzah (Arabic), Kotamalli (Tamil), 

 Naunau (Burma), Jintan (Malay). 



USES 



Coriander, as a spice, forms an important ingredient 

 in curry powder, and there is a very large trade in it 

 in the East. It is also used in confectionery, and in 

 flavouring gin and other spirits. 



In medicine, it is carminative and stimulant, and used 

 in dyspepsia and colic by natives, and also in veterinary 

 medicine. Its chief part in European medicine is to 

 disguise the taste of unpleasant drugs, and it is used as 

 a constituent of syrup of senna among 6ther medicines. 



The leaves are used by the Chinese cooks in Singa- 

 pore and elsewhere for flavouring soups, and as a 

 sumbul in curries. 



The oil is obtained by crushing the fruits between 

 rollers and distilling with water. It is pale yellow or 

 colourless. The fruits chiefly used are from Eussia, 

 Moravia, and Thuringia. These give *08 to 1 per cent 

 of oil. The oil must be obtained from ripe fruit, or it 

 has an unpleasant bug-like taste and smell. 



The exhausted and dried fruit, after extracting the 

 oil, is used as a cattle food ( Volatile Oils, Gildemeister 

 and Hoffmann). 



2 c 



