CAJEPUT TRKK. 



489 



tivated ; not a weed is to l)c seen, every species 

 of litter is removed, and if the season be dry, the 

 plants are watered with unremitting assiduity. 



The black and white sorts of pepper are b'lth 

 the produce of the same plant; the best white 

 peppers are supposed to be the finest ben-ies 

 which drop from the tree, and lying under it 

 become somewhat blanched by ex])osure to 

 weather — these the poor people pick up and 

 bring to tlie merchants; tliey are, however, 

 obtained in very small quantities, and are on 

 that account, as well as for their superior quality, 

 sold much dearer than the gathered pepper, which 

 pepper was formerly thought to be a different 

 species from the black; and at the East India 

 sales used to bring them twice the price of the 

 other. The greater part of the white pepper used 

 as a condiment, is, however, the black merely 

 steeped in water and decorticated, by which 

 means the pungency and real value of the pepper 

 are diminished; but in tliis state it can be more 

 readily reduced to powder, and, wlien thus pre- 

 pared, it has a fairer and more uniform appear- 

 ance. 



The pepper is distinguished in Sumatra into 

 three sorts : the molucca, which is the best; the 

 second, caytongce; and the worst sort, ncgarce, 

 which last is the most abundant; this is a small 

 pepper usually full of dust; it is much lighter 

 than the othera, and therefore, unless the buyer 

 be wise enough to purchase his pepper l)y weight 

 instead of measure, he will assuredly be imposed 

 upon, and have this substituted for the heavy 

 Molucca berry. 



By distillation a green-coloured matter is 

 obtained from pepper; tliis is partly resinous, 

 and partly oily, and to this the pepper owes its 

 pungent quality. 



Long Pepper (p. longum). The roots of this 

 species are perennial; the stems are shrubby, 



185. 



I.otij^ Pepper. 



round, smooth, branched, slender, and climbing, 

 but do not rise to any considerable lieight. The 

 leaves differ much in size and fonn; they are 

 commonly heart-shaped, pointed, entire, smooth, 

 nerved, of a deep green colour, and stand alter- 

 nately upon footstalks; the flowers arc small, and 

 produced in short, dense, terminal spikes, which 



are nearly cylindrical. The berries or grains 

 are very small, and lodged in a pulpy matter 

 like those of the black pepjjcr; they are first 

 green, and become a dark red or black, when 

 ripe. 



It is a native of Java, Malabar, and Bengal. 

 It is most pungent when gathered in its green 

 state, before full maturity. It is afterwards 

 dried in the sun, and assumes a black colour. 



Cajeput Tree (melahuca leucodendron ) . 

 Natural family myrtacece ; polj/ad Iphia, polyan- 

 dria, of Linnceus. This tree rises with a long 

 flexible trunk, sending ofi^ irregular ascending 

 branches, covered with a pale, thick, lamellated, 

 tough bark. The leaves are linear, lanceolate, 

 entire; of an ash colour, and placed alternately 

 on short footstalks. The flowers are sessile, 

 white, and in the form of a long spike. This 

 tree is a native of India, and yields the aromatic 

 oil known under the name of cajeput oil. The 

 leaves, which have a highly aromatic odour, yield 

 by distillation this oil. It is highly volatile and 

 stimulating, resembling in odour camphor, or 

 rosemary, or the odour of cardamom seeds. 



It is imported into Europe from the East 

 Indies; and is distilled chieily in the island of 

 Banda. It is used in medicine as a powerful 

 stimulant and antispasmodic, and seems similar 

 in its effects to the others. The dose is from 

 two to twelve drops. Externally, it is employed 

 in rheumatic pains. 



Cardamom (amommn repcns). Natural family 

 scitamcneiE ; monandria, monogynia, of Linnteus, 

 This is a perennial herbaceous plant, with an 

 erect, sheathy stalk, and lanceolate leaves. The 

 flower stalk proceeds immediately from the root, 

 and creeps along the gi-ound; it is commonly 

 about afoot and a half in length, with numerous 

 small white flowers. Several small dark-coloured 

 seeds are contained in a triangular capsule. It 

 is a native of the East Indies, and grows abim- 

 dantly on the Malabar coast. There are several 

 species, or perhaps varieties, distinguished chiefly 

 by the size of the seeds. 



The lesser cardamom is that usually imported 

 into this country. These seeds contain an aro- 

 matic oil, and mucilage, both which is readily 

 given out in aqueous infusions. Their flavour 

 is agreeable, and similar to the other camphor- 

 aceous plants. The seeds are used chiefly in 

 medicine. 



Carawat, carum carui; pentandria, digynia, 

 of LinufEus. This is a well known plant, of the 

 family umbelliferse. It is a biennial, and bears 

 its seeds the second year. The stem and leaves 

 of this plant have a sweetish, aromatic taste; and 

 the seeds contain a pleasant aromatic oil, whidi 

 is obtained by distillation. The seeds are used 

 in confectionarics; and both they and the oil are 

 carminative, and gently stimulating. 



Ginger, ziiigiher nffidnalc ; monandria, mono- 



