MATONIA CARDAMOMUM. 
119 
the young plantations, arid during the flowering season, which com- 
mences on the first fall of the rains in April and May, and continue 
for two months. The flower being very delicate, and the recumbent 
and repent posture of the fruit-panicles, exposes them particularly 
to the bad effects of drenching moisture. In August and September 
the pods increase and acquire the greatest size. In the first half of 
October they begin to ripen ; then the gathering of the early part 
commences ; the ripening proceeds through all that month and 
November. A longer continuance of the rainy season may protract 
the final gathering till the middle of December. About a fortnight 
earlier than here stated, the cardamoms on the western or sea-side 
of the Ghaftts are gathered. A dry day being chosen, the fruit- 
stalks are plucked from the roots, carried to their houses, and laid 
out to dry On mats placed upon a threshing-floor; a series of font 
or five days is sufliicient to complete the desiccation. 
The pods being extricated by being stripped with the finger, are 
separated into three or four sorts, denominated from their respective 
qualities: 1. Talli-kai, the head fruit; 2. Nadu-kai, the middle; 
and 3. Poulo-kai, the abortive fruit. The last being thrown away, 
the two former are mixed together ; the purpose of the separation 
being to ascertain the relative proportions, and to render the wholes 
uniform and marketable. " The bundles thus prepared by the culti- 
vators, are immediately carried down to shops, or little storehouses, 
erected by Mopla merchants or agents in different places along the 
whole range of hills, and at a little distance from the farms. Here 
they are subjected to another and final operation by the venders to 
the wholesale merchants on the coast. This consists in holding them 
over a gentle and slow fire in flat baskets, while assistants continue 
rubbing them betwixt their hands for a certain time, which has the 
<;ff'ect of detaching what remains of the permanent calyx and foot- 
i^talk, or other adhering membranes. The cardamoms are now 
weighed for the purpose of ascertaining the respective quotas of rent 
payable by the diflfcrent farmers. The result of this is expected to 
correspond with a previous estimation of the quantity of the crops, 
taken on the ground before they arrive at maturity ; on the ap- 
proach of which, an ofllicial deputation, consisting of public officers, 
and somie of the head men of the country, well acquainted with the 
subject^ repair to the Ela-Kandys attended by the proprietors, and 
there make the calculation from the combined consideration of the 
extent of ground, age of the plantation, and the general appearance 
of the fruit stalks then in full bearing. Four or five of the visitors. 
