XIII 
GINGER 
411 
especially highly spoken of and considered superior in 
its very high flavour to that of the Bengal low country. 
In the North-west Provinces it is extensively grown 
in the hot valleys in Kumaon, and the Punjab also 
supplies a considerable quantity of good ginger. 
The amount of land actually occupied by this spice 
in India is difficult to estimate as it is elsewhere, because 
in most places it is grown as a garden plant, that is to 
say, in small patches, the area of which is very difficult 
to estimate. 
The amount exported from India is, however, large 
and important. 
Milburn states that the amount imported by the 
East India Company in 1808 was 2,245 cwt., valued at 
£5629. 
P. L. Simmonds in Tropical Agriculture gives the 
following export table : — 
1869 
1870 
1871 
1872 
1873 
1874 
1875 
11,825 cwt. valued at £20,017 
15,313 „ „ 27,647 
13,014 „ „ 28,199 
13,210 „ „ 28,217 
14,959 „ „ 39,830 
16,004 „ „ 47,410 
30,307 „ „ 85,384 
Murray [Dictionary Economic Products) gives the 
following as the quinquennial average exports : — 
1875-1880 . . 6,691,867 lbs. value E.9,72,853 
1880-1884 . . 5,421,379 „ 8,89,016 
1885-1890 . . 10,377,710 „ 13,94,213 
The trade suffered a large diminution during the 
years from 1880-1881 to 1883-1884, but received in 1884 
and 1885 and in 1886-1887 a maximum of 14,927,926 
lbs. In the following years it fluctuated considerably, 
and in 1889 to 1890 fell to 6,918,681 lbs., the lowest 
export since 1883-1884. 
The price also showed a great diminution, for, at the 
same time, and about 1893, the price was 1 rupee per 
10 lbs., or a little over 11 rupees per cwt. 
