344 
SPICES 
CHAP. 
taneously, but in ones or twos at a time, the fruits on a 
scape are not all ripe at a time. There will be blossoms 
and immature fruit with the ripe fruit on the same scape. 
The scapes, in fact, go on producing fruit for at least 
a second season. 
GATHERING 
It is common among Indians, and indeed also among 
European cultivators, to pull off the whole racemes, 
thereby wasting all the fruit which is unripe, and there- 
fore valueless at that time. This is extravagant and 
wasteful, and only the capsules absolutely ripe should 
be gathered, the rest left to ripen for a second picking. 
The capsules, when ripe, are known to be so by 
their turning from green to yellow, and should be full 
and firm at that time. 
It has been found that cardamoms when plucked 
are apt to split in drying, and even the pressure of the 
fingers may crack them. When fully ripe they split of 
themselves, and as the least touch then causes them to 
fall, it is necessary to gather before they have turned to 
the deep yellow of full ripeness. 
The seeds, however, turn black and develop their 
full aroma before the fruit is absolutely ripe, but has 
begun to turn yellow. Considerable practice is necessary 
before the coolies can tell what is ready for collecting 
and what is not yet ripe. To obviate the splitting 
during drying, the fruit should be cut off with a small 
portion of stalk attached. In Ceylon this is effected by 
the use of a specially made pair of scissors. The ones 
recommended by Mr. Owen have very short cutting 
blades 1 in. long, with handles 4 in. long. 
The work of collecting with these scissors is long and 
tedious, and the coolies dislike it, and are apt to get 
careless in their work. The method is to hold the 
raceme in the left hand while the ripe fruits are clipped 
off. The fruit should not be held in the hand, as it 
might split if it was fully ripe. 
The fruits out of reach of the scissors among the 
