480 



CHILLIES AND CAYENNE PEPPEE. 



wholesale houses, which have a reputation and character for prohity 

 and the sale of genuine articles. Venetian red, red ochre and cinnabar 

 are often added to darken the colour, although this is no sign of its 

 excellence, for the Nepaul and many other Cayenne peppers are 

 extremely light coloured as they will naturally be if made with the 

 ground seeds alone unmixed with the redder husks of the fruit capsule. 

 As Cayenne pepper when obtained pure and used in moderation 

 promotes digestion and so prevents flatulence, and is hence undoubt- 

 edly serviceable to persons of languid digestion, so if adulterated 

 with poisonous substances it is calculated to be highly injurious. 



The French names for capsicums are " piment," " poivrons," 

 " pevrots." and " corail of the gardens." The Spanish name for this 

 spice is "agi:" it was formerly known under the name of Calicut 

 pepper, and in Gerarde's time, nearly three centuries ago, it was sold 

 here under the name of Ginnie pepj)er, and it still bears the name 

 of Guinea pepper in France. 



The natives of Brazil consume great quantities of these peppers, 

 preferring the * small red ones, which are of excessive pungency. 

 When they have no fish they boil several jiounds of these peppers in 

 a little water, and dip their mandioca bread into the fiery soup thus 

 formed. 



There is an enormous consumption of chillies in India, as both rich 

 and poor daily use them, and they form an important ingredient in 

 the curries and chutneys in general use, when ground into a paste 

 between two stones, with a little mustard, lard, oil, ginger and salt, 

 this forms the only seasoning which the millions of poor in the East 

 can obtain to flavour their insipid rice. 



In 1870 there were more than 70,000 acres under culture with 

 capsicums in the Madras Presidency, the largest portion being in 

 Kistna. The exports from Madras in the four years ending 1855 were 

 81,042 cwt. Bombay imported in 1873, 5567 cwt. principally from 

 the Madras Presidency, and exported 3323 cwt. In 1871 Singapore 

 imported 1071 cwt., chiefly from Pinang and Pegu. The spice is 

 largely consumed by the Chinese. 409^ piculs of dried chillies were 

 shipped from Chefoo in 1871 to other Chinese ports. C. amiuum is 

 extensively cultivated in Bengal ; there is a variety growing in Nepaul 

 [C. Nepalensis) the taste of which is far more pungent and acrid than 

 any of the preceding named species. 



Chillies or pod peppers are much used for flavouring pickles. By 

 pouring hot vinegar upon the fruits all the essential qualities are 

 procured, which cannot be effected by drying them, owing to their 

 oleaginous properties ; hence chilli vinegar is in repute as a flavouring 

 substance. In Bengal the natives make an extract from the chillies, 

 which is about the consistence and colour of treacle. A form of soluble 

 Cayenne was sent from British Guiana in 1867 in the collection for- 

 warded to the Paris Exhibition. 



Chillies are imported here from the West Indies, Western Africa, 

 Zanzibar and Natal, but there are no reliable statistics as to the 

 quantity we receive, although it has been estimated at as much as 

 80 tons annually ; Sierra Leone shipped in 1871, 7258 lbs., and Natal 

 9072 lbs. 



