398 SPICES 



CHAP. 



preventing the development of insect pests and utilising 

 the ground. He makes little difference between the 

 cultivation of the two plants, and his general method 

 is described under turmeric. He gives the output of 

 ginger at 50 maunds (2,600 Ibs.), but says that three 

 times as much can sometimes be obtained. The ginger 

 can be sold undried at 4 rupees per maund of 25 Ibs., 

 and the cost of cultivating comes to about 50 rupees 

 per acre, which at 50 maunds to the acre gives 200 

 rupees, or a profit of 150 rupees per acre. 



Growth of the Plant. Some investigations were 

 made in Jamaica with the object of securing a regular 

 shaped growth, with more or less straight fingers, as 

 this form commands a higher price in the market. In 

 the growth of the plant, a stem starts from the eye or 

 bud of the cutting, and from this stem in turn lateral 

 shoots or branches develop in pairs, the pairs generally 

 alternating on opposite sides. It was observed that if 

 the soil was well worked and pulverised before planting, 

 the growth was straighter than when planted in hard 

 soil, and that if the parent plant was well developed 

 and vigorous, the resultant root-stock was of a better 

 type than when the parent was small, gnarly, and 

 crooked. 



To get the best results, therefore, the planter should 

 carefully select his stock for planting, and should be 

 particular about pulverising and thoroughly breaking 

 up his soil. 



The amount of rhizomes required for planting is 

 estimated in Bengal at 4 maunds (100 Ibs.) for 1 bigha 

 (1,600 square yards), and in the Punjab twice that 

 amount. 



The cost of the rhizomes selected is estimated in 

 Bengal at 4 rupees a maund, and in the Punjab 8 to 

 10 a rupee. 



"T'he planters in Jamaica distinguish between " plant 

 ginger" and'"ratoon ginger." By the former is meant 

 ginger from fresh cuttings, which gives the best result, 

 and is indeed the best method of cultivation. When 



