SPICES OF THE TROPICS 



265 



the soil, etc. Though the plants are in bearing all the year round, 

 the crop being gathered once every fortnight or three weeks, the 



largest yield is 

 obtained in dry 

 weather and the 

 principal season 

 is during Feb- 

 ruary and March 

 in Ceylon. The 

 fruits should be 

 cut by scissors, 

 not pulled by 

 hand, and they 

 should be gath- 

 ered when | ripe ; 

 if left to ripen, 



DRYING CARDAMOMS. 



they split 'open 

 and disperse the seeds. Cardamoms fetch at present from 4s. to 



CARDAMOM PLUCKING SCISSORS. 



5s. 6d. per Ib. in London. Twenty years ago they were sold for as 



high as 9s. a pound. The total export from Ceylon in 1909 was 



82 1,1 84 Ih. valued 



at Rs. 797,818, 



the highest price 



realised being 



about 2s. Id. per 



Ib. The export 



fell to 542,650 Ib. 



in 1912, valued 



at Rs. 820,150, 



the average price 



advancing to 



about 3s. 6d. or 



4s. per Ib. 



CLIPPING CARDAMOMS BY MACHINE. 



