578 0?i cultivating and preserving Ginger. 



broken their tops against the glass : yet I never perceive the 

 roots any way inferior to those on the back. If these three 

 things — a rich light compost, a high temperature, and an 

 abundant supply of water when the plants are in a grow- 

 ing state — be attended to, they will insure a good crop of 

 ginger. 



Very little air is requisite, even in the hottest days of sum- 

 mer. By the middle or end of September the ginger will be 

 ready for taking up. I then divide the roots with a knife, 

 saving the largest races [roots or tubers] for preserving. The 

 small ones, with their tops as little damaged as possible, I pot, 

 and set into the pit again, giving them a little water to settle 

 the soil to their roots. They will only require twice watering 

 after this, until their tops or stems are dead, which will be 

 about the end of October. The pots must be set into some 

 dry shed where the frost cannot reach them. They will re- 

 quire no farther care until the following March, when they 

 must be again brought out, and treated as above directed. 



When pits cannot be spared, dig a hole in the open garden, 

 and put a frame over it. If tan be unattainable, leaves and 

 a little long manure mixed will do quite as well. 



To preserve Ginger. — Take green ginger, part it neatly 

 with a sharp knife, throw it into a pan of cold water as it is 

 pared, to keep it white. When you have sufficient, boil it 

 till tender, changing the water three times; each time put 

 the ginger into cold water, to take out the heat or spirit of 

 the ginger : when tender, throw it into cold water. For seven 

 pounds of ginger clarify eight pounds of refined sugar ; when 

 cold, drain the ginger, and put it in an earthen pan, with 

 enough of the sugar cold to cover it, and let it stand two days : 

 then pour the syrup from the ginger to the remainder of the 

 sugar, boil it some time, and when cold pour it on the ginger 

 again, and set it by three days at least : then take syrup from 

 the ginger, boil it, and put it hot over the ginger. Proceed 

 in this way till you find the sugar has entered the ginger, 

 boiling the syrup, and skimming off the scum that rises each 

 time, until the syrup becomes rich as well as the ginger. 



If you put the syrup on hot at first, or if too rich, the 

 ginger will shrink, and not take the sugar. 



I am. Sir, yours, &c. 



ZiNGIBEB. 



Stratford upon Avon, January 13. 1831. 



