Aug. 1, 1900.] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
77 
the value of Gliati chillies at ESi per maund, and 
Gowav, R2i to 4 per maund of 28tb in Bombay. 
Capsicum, fastigialum, Blume. See G. minimum, 
Boxl). 
U. frutescens, Linn.; Br. Ind. IX'., 339. 
Habitat.— Aa antmal, cultivated throughout ladia. 
Supposed to h<ive been recently, comparatively speak- 
ing, introduced from South America. According to 
the best authorities, this and the other species of 
Capsicum, now cultivated in India, have no Sanskrit 
Ddmes. Of tlie Indian cultivated species this is 
perhaps the commonesi, as it is also the largest, 
buing sometimes cultivated in the hedges around 
fields. It is grown during the cold weather on light 
sandy soil in mosc parts of the country, and especi- 
ally so in Bengal, Orissa and Madras. The Fruit, 
when ripe, is generally of a bright red colour ; it is 
then picked and laid out on mats to dry in the sun. 
Opinions differ slightly as to the plants which 
afford Cayenne pepper. Speaking of this species, 
De Caudolle says: "The great part of the so-called 
Cayenne pepper is made from it, but this name ia 
given also"to the product of other peppers. Roxburgh, 
the author who is mosc attentive to the origin of 
Indian plants, does not consider it to be wild in 
India" {Uriij. Cult. PI) Simmouds writes that " the 
Cayenne pepper of commerce is obtained chiefly 
from the pulverised chillies or fruit pods of one or 
two species of Capsicum (0. aunuam, Linn., and 
C. f-istigiatum, Blume). So also in the Keto Official 
Guide (p. 100) the dried and pulverised rind of the 
pods of C annjum and its allies is said to make 
the best Cayenne pepper. 
Medicine. — Ohilli^s are used as medicine in typhus 
and intermittent fevers and in dropsy ; they are 
regarded as stomachic and rubefacient. In native 
practice they are prescribed in gout, dyspepsia, 
cholera, ai.d ague (Athinson). 
Special Opinions.— § " When taken in curry in 
unusual quantities, chillies cause, in many instances, 
great irritation and burning in the rectum, especially 
after deftesation, attended also with scalding and 
frequent desire to urinate; mixed with ginger and 
mustard, they form a powerful rubefacient paste " 
(.issisiant Suryeon Hhib Chunder Bhattacharji, Chandm, 
Central Provinces). "A dose of ten grains of finely 
powdered capsicum seed, given with an ounce of 
hot water, two or three times a day, sometimes 
shows wonderful effects in cases of delirium tremens" 
(Sarcjeon It Gratj, Lahore) " Stimulant, arooiatic, and 
stoniaohic. I use the tincture and powder largely 
in the preparation of cholera mixture and pills, also 
in gargles for sore-throat " (Brigade-Surgeon tl. 31. 
Sliircore, ifiirsIiedaJ}ad} " A powerful stimulant used 
as a gargle in sore-throat, also in dyspepsia and 
loss of appetite " (Dri'j.-SiD'geon F HThorton Monghir). 
Food. — In every Indian bazar chillies may be pur- 
chased although not natives of India, the cultivated 
forms, at the present date, are everywhere met 
with and constitute an indispensable ingredient in 
native curry. They are "much used for flavouring 
pickles. By pouring hot vinegar upon the fruits 
all the essential qualities are procured, which cannot 
be effected by drying them, owing to their olea- 
ginous properties ; hence chilli-vinegar is in repute 
as a flavouring substance. In Bengal the natives 
make an exiraot from the chillies wnich ia about the 
consistence and colour of treacle. A form of soluble 
Cayenne was sent from British Guiana in 18G7 in 
the collection forwarded to the Paris Exhibition" 
[Sinimonds, Trap, Aqri, 480.) 
The pods are dried on a hot plate or in a slow oven 
and then p junded in a mortar. This powder is then 
passed through a handmill until it is brought to 
the finest possible state, thereafter it is well sifted 
and preserved in corked glass bottles for use 
(Treasury of Botany.) 
Capsicum grossum, Willd Ft. Br. Ind. IV. 239. 
Bell PEPPr.n. 
Habiti-t. — N jt mich cultivated in India; nitive 
place uncertain, 
Food.— Cultivated to a limited e.ttent in gardens, 
but chiefly for Europeans, who either cut this capsi- 
cum in stews or have it opened, stuffed with certain 
spices, and pickled in vinegar. The thick fleshy skin 
is not so hoc as that of the other species. 
C. minimum, Roxb.; Fl. Br. Ind., IV., iSO ; Wight Ic., 
t. 1617. 
Bird's-eye Chilli. 
Habitat— Cultivated throughout India, but not ex- 
tensively ; closely resembles C. annuum, but is dis- 
tinguished by the more acute corolla lobes, the 
smaller seeds, and by the pod being erect, nearly 
cylindrical and yellow when ripe. It is generally 
known as Bird's-eye Chilli. This " ia found in many 
parts of India, principally in the southern districts, 
growing in waste places, gardens &c., in an appa- 
rently wild state. It ia also found abundantly iu 
Java and other parts of the Eastern Archipelago 
under similar conditions. There is, however, good 
reason to believe that, in common with the rest of 
the genus, it was originally brought from some part 
of the American Continent. It is now cultivated to 
a large extent in the tropics of both the old and 
new worlds" (BentUij and Trimtn.) 
Medicine. — The Pharmacopoeia of India describes 
the fruit as an acrid stimulant. ''In atonic dys- 
pepsia, and in diarrhcei arising from putrid or crude 
ingesta iu the intestines, and iu the vomiting of 
bilious remittent fever, it acts beneficially. In scarla- 
tina it has been used with great repute in the 
West Indies. In various forms of cynanohe, and in 
hoarseness or aphonic, depending upon a relaxed 
condition of the chordce vocales, it has been found 
a useful adjunct to gargles. As a rubefacient and 
counter-irritant, the bruised fruit, in the form of 
poultice, acts energetically ; added to sinapisms it 
greatly increases their activity." Acts as an acrid 
stimulant, and externally as a rubefacient used in 
putr d sore-throat and scarlatina ; also in ordinary 
sore-throat, hoarseness, dyspepsia, and yellow fever, and 
ia diarrheal occasionally also in piles" (Baden Powell}. 
"In ticarlatina, the following mixture has attained 
much repute in the West Indies : Take two table 
spoonsful of bruised Capsicum and two teaspoonsful 
of Salt; beat them into a piste and add half a pint 
of boiling water ; when cold, strain and add half- 
a pint of Vinegar. Dose for an addult, one table- 
spoonful every tour hours ; to be diminished for 
children according to age or the severity of the 
attack. The same foimula forms an excellent gargle 
in the sore-throat which accompanies this disease as well 
as in ordinary relaxed, sore-throat, hoarseness &c," 
(Waring, Medicines.) 
Food. — This small "chilli" is rarely used by natives, 
but by Europeans is steeped in vinegar and mixed 
with salt ; in this form it is employed as a seasoning 
in stews, chops &o. 
( From " Treasury of Botany.") 
Capsicum. — One of the genera of Solanacece, deriving 
its name from the Greek word signifying ' to bite,' 
in allusion to the hot pungent properties possessed 
by the fruits and seeds. The genus consists of 
annual or biennial plants, frequently with a some- 
w'la'-. woody and bushy stem ; a wheel-shaped corolla ; 
five £>oj.iaens protruding from the corolla, their 
anthers converging at their points, and opening by 
li j^i.ulinal slits; and a two to four-celled ovary, 
becoming, when ripe, a membranous pod containing 
several seeds. The shape of the fruit varies very 
much in the difl'erent species of the genus. 
6'. annuum, a native originally of South America, 
but introduced into India and elsewhere, furnishes 
the fruits known as Chillies; these, as well as the 
fruits of C. frutescens, and several other species or 
varieties, are used to form Cayenne pepper. For 
this purpose the ripe fruits are dried in the sun or 
in an oven, and then ground to powder, which ia 
mixed with a large quantity of wheat flour. The 
mixed power is then made into cakes with leaven, 
these are baked till they are as hard as biscuit, 
and are then ground and sifted. The Cayenne pepper 
of the shops is, however, usually largely adulterated 
