GINGER. 



483 



Galanga, A. racemosa, A. AUughas, have somewhat similar aromatic 

 and pungent properties, and are frequently used as substitutes for 

 ginger. 



In India the cultivation is carried on in the Hill States as follows. 

 The best " races " of the previous year's crops are selected and placed 

 in a corner of the house, and smeared over and covered with cow dung 

 to prevent them becoming dry. 



When the first rain falls, the land is ploughed two or three times, 

 and then divided off into beds with a little raised edge round each bed, 

 taking care to make openings to let superfluous water run off ; for if 

 water lodges on the crop, the roots will rot. Little pieces of the roots 

 are then buried 3 inches deep in the soil at intervals of 9 inches. 

 The field is covered with the leaves of trees to keep the soil moist, 

 and over these manure is spread to the depth of half an inch. When 

 it rains, the water, impregnated with manure, filters through the 

 leaves to the roots. Artificial irrigation is given after the rains. 

 When the plants are about 2 feet high, to every shoot there will be 

 found about eight rhizomes, or parts of the root. These are dug up, 

 and buried in another place for a month, then taken up, exposed to 

 the sun for a day, and are fit for use. A beegah of land requires eight 

 maunds of ginger to plant, and yields thirty-two maunds for a first- 

 rate crop. Ginger, fit for planting, sells at 8 to 10 seers for the rupee ; 

 that for use, 24 to 32 seers the rupee. In order to dry ginger into 

 " south," or for keeping, the fresh roots are put into a basket, which is 

 suspended by a rope, and then two men, one on each side, pull it to 

 and fro between them by a cord attached, and thus shake the roots in 

 the basket ; this process is carried on for two hours every day for three 

 days. After this the roots are dried in the sun for eight days, and 

 again shaken in the basket. The object of the shaking is to take off 

 the outer scales and skin of the roots. Two days' further drying com- 

 pletes the process, and the " south " sells for 3 to 4 seers the rupee. 

 Turmeric is cultivated in the same manner ; when ready it is dug up, 

 steeped in hot water a day and a night, and then dried. 



The following have been the exports from India:— 





Ginger. 



Other sorts of Spices. 



Year. 





















Quantity. 



Value. 



Quantity. 



Value. 





cwts. 



£ 



lbs. 



£ 



1869 



11,835 



20,017 







1870 



15,313 



27,647 







1871 



13,014 



28,199 



1,21 5", 438 



32 ,'135 



1872 



13,310 



28,217 

 39,830 



701,869 



19,781 



1873 



14,959 



737,562 



20,807 



1874 



16,004 



47,410 



1,209,133 



50,413 



1875 



30,307 



85,384 



1,208,662 



47,766 



The African ginger is grown in Sierra Leone ; about half that pro- 

 duced comes to England, and the other half goes to America. In 

 1868 the value of the ginger exported from Sierra Leone was 18,917/., 



2 I 2 



