[Dec.  I,  i8g6. 
374 
THE  TROPIC  Vf.  AGRlCaLTQRIS  r. 
or  sub-genus  may  be  considered  a?  originally  foreign, 
but  that  they  have  since  so  much  adapted  them- 
selves to  the  soil  and  the  climate  that  several  of 
them  have  been  completely  acclimatised  or  namra- 
lised  here,  freely  tioweriug,  bearing  pods,  ripening 
seeds,  and  self-sowing  themselves  again.  Matiy  in- 
dividuals of  some  of  the  speues  of  this  family  have 
been  seen  in  most  outlandish  places,  the  seeds 
having  been  scatters  1 by  birds.  Amongst  them 
may  be  included  the  Dluuiilaiika,  the  bird’s-eye  chilly. 
The  Genus  Capsicum,  Linnuous  Gen.  PI.  II  8'J2. 
is  almost  identical  with  Genus  N.  3:W  of  Schreb.,  the 
same  of  Pitton  de  Tournefort  and  G.  Von  Miller’s 
Dictionary,  4,  p.  411,  is  as  distinct  a genus  as  any 
other  genus.  There  is,  however,  much  coufusion  in 
the  nomeuclature  of  the  several  species,  different 
authors  having  given  different  names  to  the  same 
thing,  and  it  is  not  unoften  to  find  the  same 
author  in  different  publications  having  differently 
named  the  same  plant. 
Dr.  G Watt  counts  — 
1 Capsicum  annuum,  Linnaeus;  2.  C.  fastigiatum, 
Blume;  3.  C.  frutescens,  Linnaeus;  4.  0.  gcossuin  of 
Professor  C.  L.  Willdenow,  four  species.  Capsicum 
minimum  of  Roxburgh  being,  according  to  him. 
identical  with  C.  fastigiatum  of  Blume  and  C. 
baccatum  of  Wallich. 
Dr.  Watt’s,  however,  is  the  shortest  list  of  all. 
Roxburgh  counts  six.  namely:— 
1.  Cipsicum  purpurem — Roxburgh. 
2.  Capsicum  annuum,  Willdenow  sp.  I,  1,050. 
3.  Capsicum  gcossum,  Willdenow  sp.  I,  1,0.51. 
4.  Capsicum  fruteioens,  VVilld-enew  sp.  I,  1,051. 
5.  Capsicum  minimum,  Roxburgh  and 
6.  Capsicum  cerasiforme  Willdenow,  sp.  I,  1,051. 
Or,  in  the  other  words,  he  differs  from  Wi  Ide- 
now  in  making  three  species  of  1,051  of  th  i,t  author. 
It  will  t ins  be  seen  that  C.  grossuni  is  admitted- 
ly a distinct  species.  It  has  bean  acknowledged  to 
be  so  even  in  Ness  von  Eionbeok’s  stand  ird  work. 
It  is  also  the  case  with  0 frutescens  of  Linnaaous, 
but  C.  Chamoecerasus  of  Ness  von  Esenbeok  is 
identically  the  sama  as  C cerasiformo  of  Poiret  and 
the  C.  purpurem  of  Roxburgh.  Tiie  C.  baccatum 
of  Linnseus  is  no  doubt  the  same  as  C.  frutescens 
of  Rumphius  Herbarium  Amboinense. 
I.  Capsicum  Guossum. 
The  hxfiiiiuiric  of  the  bazaar  is  cultiv.ited  all 
over  India.  It  bears  fruits  all  the  ye ir  round,  and 
is  identical  with  the  Bellpepper  of  Eirminger. 
The  rind  is  reflex,  and  swelled  into  vuious  shapes. 
The  thick  lieshy  skin  is  not  quite  so  acrid  and  is 
not  unoften  used  as  a pot-lierh  by  itself.  In  Nepal, 
which  evidently  is  its  home,  it  is  known  as 
karsini  or  Kharaseni,  indicating  the  locality  whence 
it  was  primarily  introduced. 
All  the  six  species  of  Roxburgh  are  cultivated 
in  India:  they  are  indiscriminately  called  Lank  i 
or  Lankimaric  or  Lai  mruic.  In  the  bazaar  the 
size,  shape,  and  colour  distiugish  them,  by 
goat-peppe'r,  bird-pepper,  chilly,  bell-pepper  and 
Cayenne  pepper,  the  chillies  being  the  smallest- 
sized  fruits.  There  are  a great  many  varieties  of 
them,  some  of  which  are  ornamental.  The  pods  are 
long,  straight,  of  the  size  of  a linger,  long,  bent, 
thin  and  about  an  inch  long,  round,  berrylike 
fruits,  and  looking  more  or  less  like  tomatoes ; 
some  of  them  are  orange,  bright  red,  pale  amber, 
purple  black,  yellow,  and  some  are  as  white  as  a 
lasmine.  The  veruacular  names  are  accordingly 
f-dtj rimaric,  lal  lankamaric,hol<lolankamaric,  dhanilanka, 
aiid  kalel'xnka.  White  fruits  appear  as  the  kule- 
lanka  the  fruits  being  of  the  size  of  a round 
Bengal  plum.  Some  however  call  the  Lankainaric 
or  tne  Lal  lankainaric  as  OacJi- marie. 
The  capsicum  is  not  mmlionsd  in  Sanskrit  works,  and 
uot  known  to  have  a Sanskrit  name.  It  does  not 
occur  in  any  of  the  recent  Sanskrit  medical  works, 
such  as  the  Madhava  Nidaua.  It  has  tlioreforo 
been  considered  as  introduced  fruit,  a fruit  which, 
though  now  almost  naturalised  hero,  was  quite  re- 
cently introduced  long  after  the  latest  Sanskrit 
piedical  work  was  written. 
In  the  Bombay  side  of  India,  it  is  known  as  Goa- 
marie  i.e.,  pepper  from  Go.a,  where  is  extensively 
cltivated,  perhaps  having  baeu  introduced  by  the 
Portuguese  from  Brazil  or  Chiii.  In  Bengal  it  is 
Gach-inaric,  i.e',  the  tree  pepper  or  shrub  pepper, 
as  distinguished  from  marie,  the  true  pepper,  and  which 
grows  Oil  a creeper.  It  is  also  called  lankainaric, 
i.e.,  pepper  of  Lcanka  (which  is  the  native  name  of 
Ceylon)  just  because  the  fruit  was  first  brought 
to  Bengal,  as  it  is  supposed,  in  coasting  vessels 
from  Ceylon. 
Whateuer  bo  its  orijin,  it  cannot  be  denied 
that  it  is  a great  boon  to  the  people  of  Bengal,  whose 
limited  means  make  the  black  pepper  an  expensive 
article  for  daily  use.  The  acrid  flavour  of  the  pods 
is  the  only  seasoning  which  the  poor  Bengali  can 
afforil.  in  addition  to  salt,  to  make  his  dishes 
palatable.  The  capsicum  is  thus  the  only  cheap 
condiment  available  to  every  one.  Nature  requires 
a stimulant,  aud  the  capsicum  supplies  this  to  the 
million.  It  stimulates  the  secret  ion  of  saliva,  which 
is  so  much  needed  to  the  rough  balls  of  chatu  or 
the  ra  mthfuts  of  dry  mudi.  Internally  also  it 
accelerates  digestion,  and  the  pungent  juice  clears 
away  the  phlegm.  It  is  said  to  be  vermicide,  but 
those  who  use  it  to  excess  are  not  free  from  ring 
worm  It  lias  been  used  by  European  physicians 
as  a stomiihic,  an  I iiuot  unoften  given  with  other 
recipes  in  cholera.  It  has  bie  i us3.i  with  great 
suicoss  'll  cases  of  Ciinirehe  malinna  (Duncan, t 
Med.  Co. inn  iit.,  Vol.  II,  2-12-17S3,  an  I Me*’ 
C Hniiiuui  ;ations,  Vol.  III.  p.  372,  1730).  lu  the 
pepsia  of  drunkards  and  oc  gouty  sibjeots,  it  has 
been  found  useful.  Used  oxterually  its  tincture 
proves  Valuable  in  eleph aatiasis,  and  also  in  some 
cases  of  rheumatism.  Its  composition,  as  ascertained 
by  Bracconnot,  is  ; — 
Acrid  oil  . . . . . . 1'9 
Wax  with  rel  colouring  matter  ..  09 
Brownish  starchy  matter  . , . . 9 0 
Gum  . . . . . . 6‘0 
Auimal.'sed  matter  . . . . 5'0 
Woody  fibre  ..  ..  67'8 
Salts  . . . . 9'4 
Citrate  of  Potash  ..  ..  6'0 
Phosphate  and  Chloride  of  Potash  . . 3'4 
Fruit  Capsicum  annuum  100  0 pts. 
But  Bucliolz’s  analysis  gives  the  proportion  of 
Capoicuiii  aiiiuuiui  without  seeds  to  Capsiciii  or  Acrid 
oil  as  2 5 to  1. 
'The  Capsicum  is  a paying  crox>.  It  requires  no 
special  attention,  and  if  propeily  cured  in  dried 
condition,  it  fetches  a handsome  price.  Fresh  pods 
in  the  Nortli  Western  Provinces  sell  at  from  half- 
anna  to  two  annas  per  seer.  It  is  largely  cultiva- 
ted for  trading  purposes  in  East  Bengal,  which 
principally  supplies  the  market.  In  a dry  state  it 
rells  from  9 Rs.  to  12  per  maiind.  In  England  chillies 
sell  at  30.S.  per  csvt.  in  quiet  aud  dull  markets. 
The  acridity  of  capsicum  is  due  to  tlie  alkaloid 
mentioned  before  which,  when  gently  heated,  be- 
comes fluid,  and  at  a still  higher  teuiporature  it 
dissipates  iu  acrid  cough-producing  fumes.  The 
volatile  alk  aloid  smells  much  like  conine.  By  treat- 
ing Capdeum  with  petroleum,  C'a>isieoU  may  be 
obtained,  which,  however,  is  a doubtful  substance, 
and  Capiiein  or  Capsaicin.  Capsiciu  is  sparingly 
soluble  in  petroleum,  hut  dissolves  readily  and  abuii- 
daiitly  iu  fatty  oils,  ether,  etc.  Allowed  to  crys- 
tallize, we  obtain  colourless  crystals  answering  to 
the  empiric  formula  U9  H4  02.  Capsiciu  is  uot  a 
glucoside.  It  is  a powerful  rubefacient,  and  helps 
to  relieve  constipation.  It  is  therefore  a necessary 
c'jiidimoiit  to  natives  of  Bengal,  wliose  principal 
strength-giviug  food  is  based  upon  fats,  and  Capsi- 
cin  dissolves  phi. 
It  is  needless  to  repeat  what  is  well-known 
about  tlie  uses  of  Capsicum  as  a condiment  aud  as 
a culinary  article.  It  liowevor,  is  an  important  in- 
gredient iu  the  preparation  known  as  kasitndi,  or 
Jehar,  Vhutni,  which  is  prepared  by  the  Hindoos  of 
