AraNov.?i89iarm-}  Trade  in  Ginger  and  its  Economic  Uses.  527 
Per  Cent. 
Starch,  ,   5-35 
Moisture,  14*66 
Ash,  ,   .  362 
Insoluble  and  undetermined,  26-56 
IOO'OO 
This  food  is  remarkable  for  the  large  proportion  of  cane  sugar  it 
contains;  The  alcoholic  extract  deposited  clear  white  crystals  of  it 
on  standing. 
THE  TRADE  IN  GINGER   AND   ITS  ECONOMIC  USES. 
By  P.  L.  Simmonds,  F.L.S. 
As  ginger  enters  so  largely  into  consumption  for  pleasant  popular 
beverages  and  for  other  purposes  in  this  country,  some  short 
account  of  the  sources  of  supply,  and  the  commerce  in  this  spice, 
may  not  be  without  interest. 
The  manufacture  of  ginger  beer  and  ginger  ale  form  a  large  por- 
tion of  the  mineral  wTater  trade  in  the  kingdom;  indeed,  some 
makers  have  acquired  a  special  reputation  for  their  production. 
Besides  the  large  number  of  fermented  and  aerated  ginger  beers 
consumed  at  home,  a  good  deal  of  ginger  ale  is  shipped  in  glass 
bottles,  from  Belfast  especially,  to  the  United  States.  About 
16,000  packages  or  casks  are  so  exported  annually,  for  it  has 
become  a  fashionable  beverage  in  America  among  all  classes. 
According  to  the  American  official  returns,  the  imports  in  the  two 
years  ending  June,  were  as -follows  (the  duty  being  20  per  cent): 
1888.  1889. 
Dozen  bottles.  Dozen  bottles. 
Ginger  ale  and  beer,                                   231,721  261,828 
Ginger  cordial,                                .  .           —  262 
Preserved  ginger  (35  per  cent,  duty) 
value  i                                $14,289  $2,670 
Raw  ginger  (duty  free),                                34,194  cwt.  27,718  cwt. 
The  value  of  the  ginger  ale  and  beer  imported  there  was  in  1887, 
$l53,376',  in  1888,  $126,987;  and  in  1889,  $92,001.  The  manu- 
facture of  ginger  ale  seems  to  have  been  commenced  there  also,  for 
last  year  3,512  dozen  quarts  were  sent  away  from  New  York  and 
New  Orleans,  besides  what  was  locally  consumed. 
The  number  of  uses  to  which  ginger  is  applied  besides  as  a  spice, 
confection  and  medicine,  are  many;  for  instance,  we  have  ginger- 
ade,  ginger  ale,  ginger  beer,  ginger  brandy,  gingerbread,  ginger 
