1 Ocr., 1898.] QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. 299 
It is generally stated that ginger is deprived of its coat by being plunged 
into boiling water before being scraped. This practice is not ised to any 
extent in Jamaica. Its effect isto swell the starch and bassorin-like gums. 
I found tnat after keeping the freshly peeled root-stalks in boiling iter for 
an hour they were suddenly swollen, and the steam was filled with the aroma 
of ginger. Under this treatment the coating comes off easily, but, if the action 
of the boiling water is prolonged, the starch and fibre are acted upon, the 
product dries hard, and the colour is darkened. In fact, what is known 
as “black ginger” of the market is the result of this process. Ginger is 
found in the market coated with calcerous matter, such as carbonate of lime, 
&c.; this is said to be to fill a demand for ‘‘white ginger.” Such a proceeding 
is apparently unknown among the planters. Well-cured ginger has a decided 
white coating, and that is all they know aboutit. It has been stated that-it is 
a common practice to bleach ginger with the fumes of chlorine or sulphurous 
acid. It may be done in the other parts of the world, but no instance of it is 
known in Jamaica.* 
I tried chlorine gas as a bleaching agent, but at best the product was of a 
dirty yellow colour. By using the fumes of burning sulphur, the whole being 
partially enclosed in glass, the heat of the sun aiding in the experiment, the 
ginger was whitened, and mildew prevented. I found, on trial, that it might 
be of service to place the ginger in a weak solution of chloride of lime before 
drying ; this would aid in bleaching, and prevent mould. 
CURING GINGER. 
After washing, the process of drying follows. The tropical sun is the 
drying agent in all cases. Large operators have what is called a “ barbecue.” 
This is a piece of ground several feet square, bevelled off and laid with stone, 
and the whole coated with cement. It is placed so as to receive the greatest 
amount of sunshine. The small planter uses what is called a “ mat,”’ consisting 
of sticks driven into the ground, sawbuck fashion, and across these sticks are 
laid boards, palm, banana or other large leaves; oftener than otherwise the 
place for drying isa few palm-leaves spread on the ground. 
Careful handlers put their ginger out as the sun rises, and turn it over at 
mid-day, taking it in at sundown. Rainy or cloudy weather invites mildew. 
It requires six to eight days for the root to become thoroughly dry. I made 
several tests to ascertain the loss in weight by drying in the sun, and found the 
average to be nearly 70 per cent. 
Ginger dried in the sun for the market examined for moisture gave the 
following results :— ; 
well-dried specimens showed a further loss when dried at 
Six samples v 
100 degrees C. as follows: 7-2, 8-5, 8-9, 9-5, 10, 11, 12 per cent. 
Several poorly dried specimens, some of which were damp and mouldy, 
gave from 15 to 25 per cent. moisture when dried at 100 degrees C. During 
the progress of my attention to this subject, several attempts were made to 
utilise artificial heat in drying ginger. Such a course would, in some respects, 
be a very desirable one. 
In a portion of the island given almost entirely to the cultivation of this 
product, a few years ago a wet season prevailed. It was impossible to dry the 
crop in the sun; as a consequence there was a loss of the crop, foliowed by a 
considerable distress among the planters. : 
During my observations an attempt was first made to dry without removal 
of the skin coat. This, if successful, would have meant the saving of 
considerable labour. ‘The product was quite dark, the flavour not as good as. 
that of the sun-dried. By removing a part of the coat the drying was hastened. 
Dr, A. G. McCatty, a practising physician and owner of a plantation, at my 
suggestion, placed in operation an American fruit evaporator. It was 
* Bleaching by chemicals and coating with powders are market processes unknown to the 
planters. ‘ 
