244 
SPICES 
CHAP. VIII 
but are of moderately large size, and give large sized 
seeds, that is to say, supply fine samples of white 
pepper. The finest form in this region is the Trang 
pepper, in which the seeds are much smaller than 
ordinary pepper, but fetch a higher price. Barber, in 
the paper above quoted, gives an account of the 
varieties of pepper cultivated or wild in Madras, from 
which I take the following notes. 
Balamcotta . — This may be regarded as all round 
the best pepper of the district. It is very widely 
distributed and appears to be the main Tellicherry 
variety. Its leaves are the largest of all peppers. 
They vary, however, a good deal according to age, those 
bearing spikes being very much smaller and narrower 
as well as lighter in colour than the older ones. The 
general colour of the vine is light green, being lightest 
at the time of flushing. The leaves when full grown 
are twice as long as broad, in. long and 5 in. wide 
being an ordinary size. They are oval to ovate, broadest 
at the middle, where there is a distinct bend, giving the 
leaf almost an angular appearance ; one side is broader 
than the other. The flowering branches are drooping 
and the internodes long. The leaves are flat, the veins 
not strongly marked, tips straight. The spikes are 
long, sometimes as long as 6 in., the flowers distant, 
the spaces between them three times as long as the 
flower. It is usual for this variety to flush all over at 
about the same time, and the crop can be gathered at 
one time. A strong variety and heavy bearer. 
Pure males of this variety have been met with. 
The foliage in hermaphrodite plants is variable in form 
and size, and any uniformity in the Balamcotta variety 
may be looked on with suspicion, as in all probability a 
vine of this character is devoid of stamens. 
Two varieties of Balamcotta pepper are described, 
the leaves of which are more uniform than those of the 
typical form. These are known as the wavy-leaved 
Balamcotta and the small-leaved Balamcotta. 
The first has distinctly wavy edges to the leaves. 
