XIV 



TURMERIC 435 



food of the native, and there has been no demand for 

 the spice. 



India. Turmeric is cultivated in most parts of 

 India, and proves a very remunerative crop, at least to 

 the natives. It does not seem ever to be cultivated by 

 Europeans. It is difficult to get an account of the area 

 under cultivation, but Dr. McCann (Watt's Dictionary) 

 gives the following estimates as approximate : 



Acres. 

 Bengal . . . . ' . . 30,000 



Madras 15,000 



Bombay 6,000 



Berar 2,000 



Punjab . . ... 3,500 



56,500 



The trade in India is, of course, largely local, as so 

 much is used all over the East in curry stuffs and in 

 native medicines and dyes. The export trade is chiefly 

 to England, France, and the United States, and it 

 seems to be there more used as a dye than as a spice. 

 It is said also to be used to adulterate mustard. 



The exports from Bengal are given by Mr. O'Conor 

 in his Review of trade in 1876 to 1877 as 123,824 cwt., 

 valued at 10^ lacs of rupees. It fell off in demand 

 next year, and in 1881 to 1882 the exports were 70,783 

 cwt., valued at 3,66,047 rupees. In 1885 to 1886, it so 

 far recovered that the exports amounted to 156,287 

 cwt., valued at nearly 14 lacs of rupees. In 1888, 

 they amounted to 140,994 cwts., valued at 10,32,025 

 rupees. 



The exports to Europe have never been very large, 

 for, in 1869, we find that only 64,280 cwt. and in 1870, 

 44,900 cwt., were imported into Europe; Calcutta 

 exporting 59,352 cwt. in 1870 to 1871, and Bombay, in 

 1871, 29,780. 



In Ceylon, I find no record of cultivation except 

 very locally, nor does it seem ever to have been exported. 

 In the Malay peninsula and islands it is cultivated for 



