490 



HISTORY OF THE VEGETABLE KINGDOM. 



avnia, of Linneus, is a native of the south-east 

 of Asia and the adjacent isles. It was naturalized 



186. 



iu America very soon after the discovery of that 

 country by the Spaniards; indeed, at so early a 

 period tliat it is scarcely believed to be an exotic, 

 and is supposed to have been found indigenous 

 in the Western World. Acosta relates that a 

 person named Francisco de Mendoza, first trans- 

 planted it from the East Indies into New Spain, 

 where its cultivation was diligently pursued by 

 the Spanish Americans to no small extent, as, 

 from the testimony of the same autlior, 22,053 

 cwt. were exported thence to Europe in the year 

 1547. 



The jjlant is now cultivated in gi-eat quantities 

 in the West Indies, especially in the island of 

 Jamaica. Ginger is imported into this country 

 under the form of dried roots, and as a preserve. 

 We receive it both from the East and West 

 ladies, but that from the latter is much superior 

 in quality to the former. British plantation 

 ginger pays eleven shillings per cwt., import 

 duty, and all other is not admitted under fifty- 

 three shillings per cwt.; these two causes unite 

 in confining the home consumption of ginger 

 almost entirely to tliat coming from tlie West 

 Indies. 



The ginger plant has been cultivated in this 

 country as a stove exotic since about the year 

 1600. It has a perennial root, which creeps and 

 increases under ground in tuberous joints, from 

 each of which arises in the spring a green reed- 

 like stalk of about two feet and a half in height, 

 liaving naiTow and lanceolate leaves. The stem 

 is annual; the flowering stalk rises directly from 

 the root, ending in an oblong scaly spike; from 

 each of these scales a single wliite and blue 

 flower is produced. Tlie ginger of commerce is 

 distinguished into black and white; but the 

 difference of colour depends wholly on the modes 

 of preparation. F:>t both of these kinds the 



tubers are allowed to be ripe, that is, the roots 

 are taken up after tlie annual stalks are withered. 

 For the black, they ai-e scalded in boiling water, 

 and then dried in the sun; and for the white, 

 they are scraped clean and dried carefully without 

 being scalded. The best and soundest roots are 

 selected for the latter process, and therefore 

 white ginger is, independent of the manner of 

 preparation, superior to the black, and it always 

 beai-s a much higher price in the mai'ket. When 

 a preserve is to be made of the roots, they are 

 dug up in the sap, the stalks not being more 

 than five or six inches long. For this purpose 

 the young roots are scalded, then washed in cold 

 water, and afterwards carefully peeled* This 

 process lasts for three or four days, during which 

 period the water is frequently changed. 



When the cleansing is complete, the tubers 

 are put into jars, and covered with weak syrup 

 of sugar. After a day or two the weak syrup 

 is removed, and replaced by a stronger; and the 

 shifting is two or three times repeated, increasing 

 the strength of the syrup eacli time. The pre- 

 serve thus formed is one of the finest that is 

 made; and the removed syrups are not lost, but 

 fermented into a pleasant liquor, which gets the 

 name of "cool drink." 



The Capsicum (natural family solaneos), is a 

 native of tropical regions, but is become so far 



acclimatised in this country as to be successfully 

 reared, and during summer to endure the open 

 air uninjured. 



Three species of capsicum are cultivated in 

 England. 



The Guinea Pepper (capsicum annutimj, was 

 introduced into England, from India, so early 

 as 1548, and is mentioned by Gerarde as being 

 under cultivation in his time. This plant has a 

 branchy stem, rising about two feet high; the 

 leaves are long, narrow, and of a dark green 

 colour. White flowers bloom in June or July, 

 and are succeeded by pods varying in shape and 

 colour; some being long, others short, some 

 round, and others again heart-shaped, while the 

 colour is either red or yellow. 



The Charry Pepper (capsicum cerasiformcj, 

 is a native of the West Indies, and was nut 



