86 
Hindoos, produced by Piper Cubeba, also a native of the 
Indian Archipelago, has been thought to be the Carpesium 
of the Greeks, because it was so of the Arabs ; but the 
description does not apply, and the geographical distribution 
of the plant is beyond the range of those which seem alone 
to have been known to the Greeks. The knowledge of 
the others may have been introduced into India in an 
age subsequent to that when the Greeks were best 
acquainted with that country. This is probable, from 
their having been so well acquainted with the indi- 
genous species of Pepper; as Piper nigrum must then, 
as now, have yielded both black and white pepper, as 
P. longum does long pepper. The root of the latter also, so 
extensively used in India as a stimulant medicine, and 
called pippula-mool, is, no doubt, the mtmi(ta% pi(a, though 
Sprengel says, " Quid radicem piperis veteres vocarint, 
non liquet.'" The Sanscrit pippulee, (Hindee pippul, Pers. 
pilpil, Ai.JilJil,) is, no doubt, the origin of the Greek 
Ttarept. In all the above languages, the adjuncts, black or 
round, white and long, are added, to distinguish the 
different kinds ; but the natives of India alone have distinct 
names, mirch, (Sansc. mircha), for P. nigrum, and pippul 
for P. longum. 
After the Peppers, and described by Pliny as " sapore 
simile,' 1 '' is mentioned an equally well-known Indian plant ; 
this is Ziyyip^i;, or Zingiber, of which the name, like the 
Arab. Zinjabil, Pers. Shungveex, is derived from the 
Sansc. Shringuverum, as has been shewn by Mr. Colebrooke. 
Zingiber officinale, the plant, is cultivated in the plains of 
Bengal, as well as at elevations of from 3,000 to 4,000 
feet in 30° N. latitude. As its crop depends upon the root, 
which is protected by the earth from great vicissitudes of 
temperature, this may, with irrigation, be cultivated further 
north than is practicable with other tropical plants; and 
