X 
CARDAMOMS 
355 
paler ; they are shipped from Madras and Pondicherry. 
Aleppy are usually shorts, plump, beaked, and of a 
peculiar greenish tint, shipped from Calicut. 
Ceylon cardamoms, as has been said, are derived 
from a second type of plant. They are 1 to 2 in. long, 
and to in. through, three-sided, often curved, 
and always dark greyish brown. The seeds are larger 
and more numerous, and somewhat different in taste 
(Ferguson, l.c.). Owen, however, says that perfect 
Ceylon cardamoms are of a light straw colour. He 
says that the distinction into shorts and short longs 
has no value and may be ignored, the capsules only 
being sorted according to colour. 
PACKING 
The capsules are packed in wooden cases holding 
65 lbs. each, and measuring 22^ in. by 15 in. by 12 in. 
They should not be lined with lead or zinc, but with 
light gunny cloth. In packing great care should be 
taken that the capsules are quite dry. 
CULTIVATION AREAS 
Practically the whole of the cardamoms of commerce 
are produced in India and Ceylon. The plant has been 
introduced into most other tropical countries, but no 
cultivation of any extent has resulted there. 
In India the exact amount of cardamoms produced 
is difficult to arrive at, as much is consumed in the 
country. Shipments, in 1872-1873, from Bombay 
amounted to 184,800 lbs., of which 118,160 lbs. went to 
England. 
In Ceylon the export is very large, as will be seen 
from the tables below ; of this product more than half 
is sent to India, the rest to Europe. 
In Ceylon cardamoms have been one of the most 
important crops for many years. The output is given 
by Owen and others for the last few years as follows : — 
