CLASS L MONANDRIA. 
MONOGYNIA. 
14. GINGER is the dried root of a somewhat reed-like 
plant (Amomura zingiher, PI. 1. Fig. 2.) which grows wild in 
several parts of Asia ; and is much cultivated both in the East 
and West Indies. 
The flowers of the ginger plant issue from stalks distinct 
from those which support the leaves, and form a kind of ear 
or spike, of beautiful colours and very fragrant smell. 
The cultivation of ginger is nearly similar to that of 
potatoes. The land is first well cleansed from weeds : 
it is then dug into trenches similar to those which our 
gardeners make for celery ; and the plants are set in 
these trenches in March or April. They flower about 
September; and, in January or February, when the 
stalks are withered, the roots are in a proper state to be 
dug up. 
These are prepared for use in two ways. When in- 
tended for what is called white ginger they are picked, 
scraped, separately washed, and afterwards dried with 
great care, by exposure to the sun. For black ginger 
they are picked, cleansed, immersed in boiling water, 
and dried. This process is much less laborious and 
expensive than the last, consequently the price of the 
article is not so great. By boiling, the ginger loses a 
portion of its essential oil ; and its black colour is 
owing to this. 
The uses of ginger, both in medicine, and as a spice, 
are numerous and well known. In the West Indies this 
root is frequently eaten fresh in salads, and with other 
