FRUCTUS CARDAMOMI. G47 



contain. Good samples afford about three-fourths of their weight of 

 seeds/ 



The fruits of the second form (var. ^) of Elettaria Gardamomum, 

 known in trade as Ceylon Cardamoms, are from 1 to 2 inches in length, 

 and T17 to T^ of an inch in breadth, distinctly three-sided, often arched, 

 and always of a dark greyish-brown. The seeds are larger and more 

 numerous than those of the Malabar plant, and somewhat different in 

 odour and taste. 



Microscopic Structure — The testa of the seed consists of three 

 distinct layers, namely an exterior of thick-walled, spirally-striated cells, 

 somewhat longitudinally extended, and exhibiting on transverse section, 

 square, not very large, cavities ; then a row of large cells with thin 

 transverse walls ; and finally, an internal layer of deep brown, radially- 

 arranged cells, the walls of which have so thick a deposit that at the 

 most only small cavities remain. 



The granular, colourless, sac-shaped albumen encloses a horny endo- 

 sperm, in which the embryo is inserted the projecting radicle being 

 directed towards the hilum. The cells of the albumen have the fomi 

 of elongated polyhedra, almost entirely tilled with very small starch 

 gi'anules. Besides them, there occur in most of the cells, somewhat 

 larger masses of albuminoid matter having a rhombohedric form, dis- 

 tinctly observable when thin slices of the seed are examined under 

 almond oil in polarized light. These remarkable crystalloid bodies 

 resemble those occun-ing in the seeds of cumin (p. 332). 



Chemical Composition — The parenchyme of the albumen and 

 embryo is loaded with fatty oil and essential oil, the former existing 

 in the seed to the extent of about 10 per cent. 



The percentage of essential oil is stated by Messrs. Schimmel «k: Co., 

 Leipzig, to be equal to 5 in the Madras Cardamoms, and to 3o in 

 the Ceylon. We found the latter to be dextrogyi'ate ; the same gen- 

 tlemen presented us (1876) with a crystallized deposit from the latter 

 oil, which appears to be identical ivith common cojnphor. Its alcoholic 

 solution deviates the plane of polarization to the right, apparently to 

 the same amoiuit as that of common camphor (see also oil of spike, 

 p. 479). 



Dumas and Peligot (1834) state to have obtained from the essential 

 oil of cardamoms (inodorous ?) crystals of terpin, C^'ff® + 3 0H\ The 

 ash of cardamoms, in common with that of several other plants of the 

 same order, is remarkably rich in manganese.^ 



Commerce — There are no statistics to show the production of 

 cardamonxs in the south of India or even the quantity exported. The 

 shipments in the year 1872-73 from Bombay, to which port the drug is 

 largely sent from the Madras Presidency, amounted to 1,650 cwt., of 

 which 1,055 cwt. were exported to the United Kingdom.^ 



Cardamoms, the produce of Ceylon and therefore of the large variety, 

 were exported from that island in 1872 to the extent of 9,273 lb. — the 

 whole quantity being shipped to the United Kingdom.* 



^Thus 202 lb. shelled at various times ^ Pharvi. Journ. iii. (1872) 208. 



during 10 years, afforded 154^ lb. of seeds. '^Statement of the Trade, etc. of Bombay 



(Information from the laboratory accounts for 1872-73. ii. 58. 90. 



of Messrs. Allen and Hanburys, Plough ■* Ceylon Blue Boole for 1872, Colombo, 



Court, Lombard Str.) 1873. 543. 



