372 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



COBIANDEK. 



An annual or biennial herb found in temperate and tropical countries, 

 and cultivated in the east of England and on the Continent. Fifteen 

 hundredweight to the acre is reckoned an average crop. Its seeds are 

 much used for condiments, in flavouring gin, and in the preparation of 

 curry powder. The Egyptians, Persians, and Indians use it largely in 

 curries. 



It produces a peculiar essential oil, of a high carminative value. 



Chilies and Capsicums. 



The capsicums (fig. 128) are annual or perennial plants, cultivated 

 in all the warmer parts of the globe, and often grown as a catch crop 

 between the rows of permanent plants in new clearings, in such positions 

 yielding abundant crops. Capsicum annuum is more confined to Central 

 America and the West Indies. It is a heavy cropper, and yields the 

 material for cayenne pepper. 



C. fastigiatum is the bird-pepper of America. 



C. minimum (the birdseye chili) is extensively cultivated in Asia, 

 Africa, and America, and turned to use in everyday meals. 



C. frutescens is the long, tapering capsicum, possibly more commonly 

 cultivated in European gardens than the other species. It is extensively 

 cultivated in Eastern Asia, and is a product successf ally handled by the 

 natives. It is converted into cayenne pepper. 



C. grossum is the large red-fruited species and very pungent. 



The summers of the warm temperate zone admit of the successful 

 growth of at least the annual species of capsicum. 



Mexico is the largest cultivator of this product, and large areas are 

 annually planted under high cultivation and irrigation. Many growers 

 prefer evaporating instead of sun-drying. The temperature must be kept 

 at 110° F., and in this way the dryer can be filled every four hours. 

 Sun-dried chilies fetch the best prices. An acre may produce 2,400 lb. of 

 dried peppers. 



The hot, pungent property of the fruit of the Capsicum is due to the 

 presence of an alkaloid known as capricine, and from this property the 

 genus received its name, derived from the Greek " kapfco," to bite. 

 Capsicums are used chiefly as a condiment, but have also a medicinal 

 value. Besides being dried and ground for use as pepper the fruit is 

 used when green for pickling, and when ripe for mixing with tomatos, 

 &c. to make sauces. There is an enormous consumption of chilies 

 in India, where 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 people in the East can obtain to 

 flavour their insipid rice. They are employed in medicine in combina- 

 tion with cinchona in intermittent and lethargic affections, and also in 

 atomic gout. In native practice in India they are prescribed for many 

 ailments. 



Cayenne pepper is adulterated with powdered sawdust. 



