638 ZINGIBERACEiE. 



Commerce — (ireat Britain imported of ginger as follows : — 



1868 1869 1870 1871 1872 



52,194 cw-fc. 34,535 cwt. 33,854 cwt. 32,723 cwt. 32,174 cwt. 



In 1876 the imports were 62,1G4 cwt., valued at £169,252. 



The drug was received in 1872 thus : — 



From Egypt 4,923 cwt. 



,, Sierra Leone 6,167 ,, 



,, British India 13,310 ,, 



,, British West Imlies ..... 7,543 ,, 



,, other countries 231 ,, 



Total 32,174 



The shipments from Jamaica during the years 1866 to 1876 varied 

 from 599,786 ft. in 1872 to 1,728,075 in 1867. In 1876 there were 

 exported 1,603,764 ft., valued at £28,882.^ 



Uses — Ginger is an agreeable aromatic and stomachic, and as such 

 is often a valuable addition to other medicines. It is much more 

 largely employed as a condiment than as a drug. 



RHIZOMA CURCUMiE. 



Radix Curcumce ;~ Turmeric; F. Curcuma ; (J. GeIbvjurzeI,Kui'kuma. 



Botanical Origin — Curcuma longa^ L. — Turmeric is indigenous to 

 Southern Asia, and is there largely cultivated both on the continent and 

 in the islands. 



History — Dioscorides mentions an Indian plant as a kind of Cyperus 

 (K.inreipo<i) resembling ginger, but having when chewed a yellow colour 

 and bitter taste : probably turmeric was intended. Garcia de Orta 

 (1563), as well as Fragoso (1572), describe turmeric as Crocus indicus. 

 A list of drugs sold in the city of Frankfort about the year 1450, names 

 Curcuma along with zedoary and ginger.* 



In its native countries, it has from remote times been highly esteemed 

 both as a condiment and a dye-stuff; in Europe, it has always been 

 less appreciated than the allied spices of the ginger tribe. In an 

 inventory of the effects of a Yorkshire tradesman, dated 20th Sept., 

 1578, we find enumerated — " x. oumcis of turmeracke, x d."^ 



Description — The base of the scrape thickens in the first year into 

 an ovate root-stock ; this afterwards throws out shoots, forming lateral 

 or secondary rhizomes, each emitting roots, which branch into fibres or 

 are sometimes enlarged as colourless spindle-shaped tubers, rich in 

 starch. The lateral rhizomes are doubtless in a condition to develope 

 themselves as independent plants when separated from the parent. 

 The central rhizomes formerly known as Curcuma rotunda, and the 



^ Statist. Abstract (as quoted p. 633, note * Fig. in Bentley and Trimen's 3fei/. 



3), p. 71. Plnnts, part 9. (1876). 



- Curcuma from the Persian kurkum, a * Fliickiger, Die Frankfurter Liste, Halle, 



name applied also to safiFron. The origin 1873. 11. 



of the word T«rTOe?-/c is not known to us ; ^Raine, Wills and Lwentories of th" 



Terra merita seems to be a corruption of Archdeaconry of Richmond (Surteea 



it. Society), 1853. 277. 



