466 



The Supplement to the Tropical Agriculturist 



Cubing 



is effected in dry weather by exposure to the 

 sun, but in hot weather over-exposure is 'guar- 

 ded against, as overheating causes the moist 

 seeds to swell and burst the shell. Three hours 

 exposure in the morning and two in the after- 

 noon ate sufficient in the heat. In unsettled 

 weather advantage is taken of whatever sunshine 

 there is. The proportion of split fruit is smaller 

 the slower the drying. This operation is shown 

 where trays of the fruit are placed on trestles. 

 These can be readily covered when a shower 

 threatens. In continuous wet weather slow 

 drying is effected by gentle artificial heat on 

 trays contained in racks in the curing-house, 

 but the product is more brown in colour and 

 accordingly less value. The house is arranged 

 to allow ready egress of the trays, so as to take 

 advantage of the sun's rays. The colour can be 

 improved by sun-bleaching the capsules after 

 sprinkling with water, but this considerably in- 

 creases the proportion of split fruit. Ozanne 

 in 1885 described a process used in India in 

 which the fruits before exposure to the sun were 

 washed in water containing pounded soap-nuts 

 {Sapindus Saponaria). 



Clipping and Grading. 



The capsule still bears the remains of the calyx 

 tube at the apex and the stalk at the base, and 

 these were formerly removed by the tedious 

 method of hand-clipping. Machines for re- 

 moving these have now been introduced. The 

 grading of the fruit is next effected, small sieves 

 dividing into about three sizes, while sorting as 

 to colour is also followed. Split fruit (which 

 averages about 10 to 15 percent.), broken shell 

 and seed are also sorted out. Our drawing shows, 

 natural size, the types of Ceylon-Mysore carda- 

 moms, known respectively as "longs," " me- 

 diums," "shorts," and "tiny," After sizing, the 

 fruit is sulphured by placing in trays over burn- 

 ing sulphur. The final operation is packing in 

 cases for export. 



As indicated above, plump Ceylon- Mysores 

 are the type of cardamoms most approved in 

 this country. As shown these vary jin length 

 from about \ in. to f in. The smaller carda- 

 moms of this type are ovoid, or nearly glo- 

 bular, but the longer fruits are more or less in- 

 distinctly three-sided, the angles of the plumper 

 ones being quite rounded. There is the remains 

 of a short stalk at the base, and three shallow 

 longitudinal grooves indicate where the fruit 

 will split. Size, plumpness, colour, and smooth- 

 ness of the shell form the chief criteria in pric- 

 ing the spice. The importance of the first two 

 lies in the fact that bold long fruit contains a 



higher proportion of seed and less shell than 

 smaller spice. Split fruit is also less valuable 

 owing to the loss of seed and aroma. The best 

 capsules are creamy white, being smooth and 

 silky. The longitudinal striations become more 

 marked on the leaner fruit, the angles at the 

 same time becoming sharper. Readers of our 

 market reports will be aware that there are many 

 grades between "extra bold longs " and " small 

 brown splits." The "wild Ceylon cardamom 

 is the largest, sometimes at taining \\ in. in 

 length. It usually possesses a dark brown and 

 coarsely striated shell, the sides of the pod being 

 sunken and the? angles sharp. Malabar carda- 

 moms are exported both from Ceylon and India. 

 The shell of this cardamom is generally brown 

 and [striated. The Alleppey are very similar in 

 type to the Malabars, but are larger and appear 

 both as bleached and unbleached, the latter 

 retaining a peculiar green colour. A round type 

 of cardamomlknown as Ceylon Mangalores some- 

 times arrives in the London market. This kind 

 fetches good prices. 



Decorated seed obtained from over-ripe fruit 

 is also a regular article of commerce. The 

 colour andfaroma count for much in regard to 

 fixing the price. The former varies from good 

 brown]) to light and foxy and split. With 

 seed there is not' ^he same certainty as with 

 fruit in determination of variety. Occasionally 

 seeds of camphoraceous odour, probably not 

 derived from the lesser cardamom plant, are 

 offered. Shells from empty pods occasionally 

 appear, and find buyers at a few pence per lb. 

 Presumably the only outlet for busks is admix- 

 ture with ground spice. 



The principal uses of cardamoms are as a 

 flavouring-agent in curries and cake, and in 

 medicines as compound tincture of cardamoms. 

 Russia, Sweden, Norway, and parts of Germany 

 are the European countries which are most fond 

 of the spice for culinary purposes. Ceylon car- 

 damoms are also used in the manufacture of 

 liqueurs. In India they are used coated with 

 sugar at festivals, and for chewing with betel, 

 as well as for a condiment and in medicine. 

 — Chemist And Druggist, March 9. 



THE CEYLON TOBACCO INDUSTRY. 



REPORT BY MR. J. VAN LEENHOFF. 



(Extracts.) 

 Introduction. 

 On the recommendation of Professor Wyndham 

 Dunstan, Director of the Imperial Institute, 

 London, Mr. Van Leenhoff was invited to come 

 to Ceylon and to advise and report on the 



