514 
THE PRINCIPLES OE BOTANY. 
state of powder mixed with powders, or incorporated in 
ball masses. In the human school the compound tincture is 
one of the most elegant preparations, especially as an adjunct* 
to cordial, tonic, and purgative mixtures. 
The Grains of Paradise form a coarser stimulant, and as 
such they are much used by rustic cow-leeches, and as their 
price is about one third that of the true Cardamom they 
find their uses in mixtures for the sophistication of pepper. 
Two or three sorts are imported under the name of Guinea 
grains ( Grana guineensia ) ; some, however, come from Sierra 
Leone, but these latter are inferior. 
The quantities of “ grains of Paradise and Guinea ” im- 
ported in six years are in cwts. as follows :f — 
Cwts. 
In 1849 . . 1,247 
„ 1850 . . 1,316 
„ 1851 . . 96 
Cwts. 
In 1852 . . 440 
„ 1853 . . 183 
„ 1854 . . 249 
Whether this uncertainty depends upon the variable 
nature of the crop or has anything to do with legal restric- 
tions it may he difficult to determine ; hut certain it is that 
they have been so much employed to give artificial strength 
to spirits, wine, beer, and vinegar, and they occur in the 
following list of the unlawful substances seized at different 
breweries and brewers’ druggists’ laboratories in London, as 
copied from the minutes of the Committee of the House of 
Commons :+ — “ Cocculus indicus , multum (an extract of the 
cocculus, colouring , honey , hartshorn shavings , Spanish juice , 
orange powder , ginger, grains of paradise, quassia, liquorice } 
carraway seeds , copperas , capsicum , mixed drugs” 
And by the 56 Geo. Ill, c. 58, no brewer or dealer in 
beer shall have in his possession or use grains of Paradise , 
under a penalty of £200 for each offence ; and no druggist 
shall sell it to a brewer, under a penalty of £800 for each 
offence. 
We would now r , in bringing these notes to a close, remark 
upon the variable uses of this alliance of plants. In some the 
fruits are not only wholesome, but form the principal food of 
a large number of people. In others, the fruits are hot and 
spicy, as peppers. Again, in the Marants the rhizomata are 
employed for the production of the invalids’ diet of arrow- 
root, whilst the gingers yield, from the same part, the hot 
and stimulating spice so well known. Still, it is with these 
# Pereira. 
f Ibid. 
X ‘ Cooley’s Practical Receipts.’ 
