428 



SPICES AND FRAGBAtfT WOODS. 



1845 

 1846 

 1847 

 1848 

 1849 

 1850 

 1851 

 1852 



Imports. 



Ibs. 



9,852,984 

 6,906,586 

 4,669,930 

 8,125,545 

 4,796,042 

 8,028,319 

 3,996,496 

 6,641,699 



Home co nsumption , 



Ibs. 



3,209,718 

 3,299,955 

 2,966,022 

 3,185,337 

 3,257,911 

 3,170,883 

 3,303,403 

 3,524,501 



The following return shows the number of bags of pepper im- 

 ported into the United Kingdom, with the quantity retained for 

 home consumption: 



Retained for home consumption. 



1843 

 1844 

 1845 

 1847 

 1848 

 1849 



Black. 



bags. 



21,163 



23,525 



30,294 



28,768 



31,665 



32,246 



White, 

 bags. 

 2,257 

 2,122 

 2,861 

 2,654 

 2,950 

 3,859 



CHILLIES AND CAYENNE PEPPEE. 



CHILLIES or capsicum are long roundish taper pods, divided into 

 two or three cells, full of small whitish seeds. "When this fruit is 

 fresh, it has a penetrating acrid smell ; to the taste it is extremely- 

 pungent, and produces a most painful burning in the mouth. 

 They are occasionally imported dry, and form the basis of Cayenne 

 pepper ; put in vinegar when green or ripe, they are an accept- 

 able present in Europe. In Bengal the natives make an extract 

 from the chillies, which is about the consistence and color of 

 treacle. 



The consumption of chillies in India is immense, as both rich 

 and poor daily use them, and it is the principal ingredient in all 

 chutnies and curries ; ground into a paste, between two stones, 

 with a little mustard, oil, ginger, and salt, it forms the only 

 seasoning which the millions of poor in that country can obtain 

 to eat with their insipid rice. They are worth in the Bombay 

 market about 40s. the candy of 600 Ibs. 



Immense quantities of the capsicum are used by the native 

 population of the West Indies, Africa, and Mexico ; the con- 

 sumption as a condiment being almost universal, and perhaps 

 equal in quantity to salt. Ten barrels of these peppers were 

 shipped from Montego Bay, Jamaica, in the first six months of 

 1851. 



The wholesale price of chillies in the London market is from 

 16s. to 25s. the cwt., and there is a duty of 6d. per pound on 

 them. Cayenne fetches 9d. to 2s. the pound. 



Chilli is the Mexican name for all varieties of Capsicum. They 



