Ball — On the Colloquies of Garcia Be Orta. 391 
nnripe. The seeds, which have a general resemblance to those of the 
Malabar cardamom, have a strong camphoraceous aromatic taste." It 
is produced in Cambodia, Siam, Sumatra, and Java.] 
It would appear from what Garcia says that it reached India 
through Turkey, Persia, or Arabia ; but that its native habitat was 
quite unknown to him. 
As a constituent of two famous composite medicines it was highly 
esteemed in India ; these were called triaga and metridado, and the 
Mzam Shah told Garcia that he would give weight for weight in gold 
for a cask of the former, and a present of 2000 pardaos^ to any man 
who tested it, and he would have kept his word, adds Garcia, " if the 
devil had not taken him away to the company of Mahomet." 
This chapter concludes with a sneer at the apothecaries of Goa 
for their want of enterprise in not searching the Continent for 
such drugs as herva cidreira, lingua d-vaca, fumus terrce, tamarisco, and 
espargos, all of which he says occur there. 
[References. — Fluclciger and Umilury^ p. 587.] 
COLLOQUY V. 
Do Anacaedo. 
[Cashew nut — The fruit of Anacardium occidentale, Linn.] 
Called holador by the Arabs ; hjho in India \_Mju is now the 
common name in India] ; fava de Malacca by the Portuguese. 
Garcia says it was unknown to the Ancient Greeks. The modern 
Greek name was, however, derived from the heart-shaped nut. 
The tree was abundant in Cananor, Calicut, Cambay, the Deccan, 
and other parts of India. 
[The old writers who say it is poisonous were misinformed, as 
preparations of the green nut are given in asthma, and even eaten as 
pickle. After being dried it becomes caustic, and is administered 
in " king's evil."] 
Garcia' s account of this tree, and the uses of its fruit are not very 
satisfactory or complete. He seems to have been unaware that it was 
introduced into India by the Portuguese from Brazil. I do not find 
the native names which he gives for it in other authors. 
[References. — Clusius (Acosta), pp. 43, 44 ; Linschoten, ii., pp. 27, 
29, 36; Fiso ''Mantissa Aromatica," p. 193, fig. ; Khorg, p. 230.] 
1 The pardao was worth from 2s. to 2s. 6d. 
