Foreign Vegetables. ig $ 
Some Species of Cardamom like the preceding 
but lefs are imported to us mixed with it. They 
are perhaps the imperfed or abortive Fruit of the 
fame Plant, or fome others like it : Of this Sort 
is the Cardamomum minus , C. B. P. 
The Plant upon which the lefler Cardamom 
grows is imperfectly defcribed by Bontius , but with 
much greater Accuracy in the Hortus Malabar icus , 
Vol. II. The learned Botanift Paul Herman reduces 
this Plant to the fame Clafs with Turmerick, Ga- 
lengal, Zedoary, Ginger, &c. And it may there- 
fore be ranked under the Genus of Cannacorus , J. 
R. H. It is called Elettari , Hort. Malab. i r. 9. 
where we find it diflinguifhed into three Species , 
the firft of which many fuppofe to be the true 
officinal Amomum ; though falfely, as we have 
made appear in the former Article. Thefe Plant! 
grow in many Parts of the Eaft Indies. I have 
like wife feen a Species of Cardamom from China , 
which the Chinefe call Tfao-Keou. The Pods are 
much larger and rounder than thofe of the lefler 
Cardamom. 
The feveral Species of Cardamom abound with 
an aromatick eflfential Oil, which they yield by be- 
ing macerated in Water, and afterwards diddled. 
The lefler Cardamom is mod frequently ufed 
in the Shops *, the Bark or Hulk being generally 
feparated from the Grains and thrown away. It 
ought to be freffi, with a Hufk of a pale Colour 
on the outfide, well clofed, and full of found, red- 
diffi brown, odorous, acrid, and aromatick Seed. 
It helps ConcoCtion, fortifies the Stomach and 
Brain, provokes Urine, and the Menfes , and is 
recommended by fome to prevent Apoplexies and 
Giddinefs. The Dofe in Subdance is from 0fs. to 
9j. and to 5fs. in Infufion. 
O 2 
A RT I C. 
