1 Noy., 1902.] QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. 355 
cleared of soil and other adherent substances. The fibrous parts are also 
removed. This work must be done immediately after the rhizomes are dry, for 
any delay will admit of the rhizome drying with these foreign substances 
adhering, and they will never become white. 
“On the other hand, if they were allowed to remain in the heaps without 
desiccation, they would be immediately attacked by mould. Hence, as soon as 
they are cleaned, they are thrown into water, then they are ready for the 
operations of peeling and scraping, which are done by hand before drying. 
“Peeling ginger demands much adroitness. It is done with a knife witha 
narrow, sharp blade. When there is much to be done, the smartest peelers 
eel only between the fingers, leaving the rest of the work to the less adroit 
eae The importance of this operation will be understood when it is 
remembered that the-cells filled with essential oil are immediately beneath the 
epidermis. ‘The cells are most numerous in the neighbourhood of the eyes. 
Hence, ginger must be peeled very delicately, but it must be peeled to allow of 
quick drying. 
“Ag soon as the rhizomes are peeled they are thrown into clear water. 
The purer the water, and the more often renewed, the whiter will be the 
product. Water, therefore, must not be stinted. The “hands” peeled during 
the day remain for the night in the water. This water becomes glutinous, and. 
if it is concentrated, it becomes syrupy, with a hot, aromatic flavour. Some 
planters use citron juice to whiten the ginger still more. Citric acid certainly 
acts on the colouring matter; but it has the objection of inducing mould 
owing to the sugar and pecton which it contains. It is therefore better to use 
citric acid pure, or more simply, vinegar. 
“ Another process is that of the use of boiling water. This is scarcely 
used in Jamaica. It is undoubtedly true that if ginger, before being scraped 
is thrown into boiling water, the epidermis is easily removed; but the starch 
and gum swell, and after boiling for an hour, the rhizome is much enlarged, and 
the steam of the water has carried off a portion of the essential oil. If the 
boiling be continued, the starch and gum disappear, the rhizome hardens, and 
becomes black. The product in this form is known as black ginger. 
“ Well treated ginger is white, and the well known Jamaica ginger is white. 
Tt occasionally happens that the colour has not been properly obtained; then 
the rhizome is painted with Spanish white. In other cases bleaching is done 
by means of sulphuric acid and chloride of lime; but these methods are not to 
be recommended. 
- « After washing comes the drying. This is done in the sun. When large 
quantities are to be operated on, they are dried on a ‘barbecue,’ a cemented 
area slightly convex, and placed in such a position as to receive the maximum 
rays of the sun. 
“ Small planters use a gridiron made of billets of wood laid parallel to each 
other, aad on which is placed a bed of banana or palm leaves. Often they may 
lay palm leaves on the bare soil. The more careful growers turn their ginger 
at noon, and once again in the evening. 
“ Ginger takes from six to eight days to dry. It loses about from 70 per 
cent. of its weight by drying. If the sky is cloudy, or should rain come on, the 
ginger is covered with mould, which deteriorates its value. Ginger well dried 
in the sun, and fit for sale, still contains 7 to 12 per cent. of water, which it 
arts with in a drying chamber heated to 100 degrees Fahr. ; but when it is 
badly dried there may be 25 per cent. of water init. Drying is not always 
possible, and in some rainy years the whole crop has been destroyed by mould. 
“Tt has been attempted to dry ginger without peeling it. If this could be 
done it would save much labour, but the product by this method is quite black, 
and the smellis far from that so valuable in ginger dried in the sun. The 
North American fruit-drying apparatus has also been tried. But whether it 
was because wood was used as fuel, or whether the temperature was too high, : 
and the operation badly conducted, the product was black and without aroma, 
besides salt it acquired the smell of smoke, and had a burnt taste. 
