Am.  Jour.  Pharm. ) 
IS'oveaiber,  1907.  J 
India  s  Spices  and  Condiments. 
535 
blood  red.  The  quantity  of  betel  nuts  imported  into  India  on  an 
average  from  East  Africa,  Mauritius,  Ceylon,  Straits  Settlements, 
and  other  countries,  average  annually  about  39,520,000  pounds, 
valued  at  $1,235,655,  while  the  export  amounts  to  only9i,700  pounds, 
valued  at  $12,350.  This  shows  what  a  tremendous  consumption 
exists  in  India  of  betel  nut ;  for  it  must  be  remembered  that  India 
produces  much  more  than  she  imports  of  this  article. 
The  leaves  of  the  piper  betel  mixed  with  catechu,  areca  nut,  and 
lime,  and  flavored  with  spices  makes  the  pan  so  generally  used. 
The  trade  in  the  leaf  is  entirely  local. 
The  seeds  of  the  various  forms  of  mustard,  rape,  and  cole  are  used 
in  India  as  condiments  and  grow  in  great  abundance.  Onions  and 
garlic  and  celery  are  produced  to  a  large  extent. 
CHILLIES,  CARAWAY,  ROXBURGHIANUM,  CLOVES,  ETC. 
The  chillie,  or  capsicum,  of  several  varieties  are  natives  of  America, 
but  are  grown  all  over  India,  and  while  not  used  as  generally  as  in 
Mexico  are  consumed  in  large  quantities  by  the  natives  of  India. 
The  caraway  plant  grows  wild  in  Kashmir,  now  really  a  part  of 
India,  and  is  cultivated  as  a  cold  season  crop  on  the  plains:  The 
true  Bishop's  weed  is  cultivated  extensively  in  Bengal,  Punjab,  and 
south  Deccan.  The  Roxburghianum  plant,  which  resembles  pars- 
ley, is  eaten  much  in  the  same  way  as  parsley,  and  the  seed  is  used 
in  flavoring  curry.  Cloves  are  cultivated  mainly  in  south  India, 
which  supplies  the  market  or  bazaars  of  northern  India,  together 
with  some  importations  from  Ceylon. 
There  are  probably  three  species  of  cinnamon  produced  in  India 
and  Ceylon.  The  cocoanut  grows  abundantly  in  India,  principally 
in  the  southern  part,  along  the  coast.  Coriander  is  a  much  prized 
condiment  in  India,  and  is  almost  indispensible  in  making  a  first- 
class  curry.    It  is  cultivated  throughout  India. 
SAFFRON,  CUMIN,  GINGER,  TURMERIC,  CRUCIFER^,  MINTS,  AND 
NUTMEGS. 
Saffron  is  grown  in  India  to  a  limited  extent,  and  is  used  in  color- 
♦  ing  and  flavoring  food.    Cumin  is  used  as  spice  with  which  to  flavor 
curry,  and  is  one  of  the  oldest  spices  known  to  the  natives  of  the 
country.    It  is  most  successfully  cultivated  in  the  provinces  of  Raj- 
putana  and  the  Punjab,  in  northern  central  India,  and  in  the  Dec- 
