CINNAMON : CARDAMOMS.

97

Another oil, with somewhat the smell of oil i
distilled from the leaves. oil of eloves, I
Cinnamon is used chiefly in confectionery, incense, &amp;
A considerable proportion of the exported chips are used in
Europe for the distillation of oil. The exports in 1903 were
3,043,714 1b. in bales, 2,253.269 1b. of chips, and 90,469 oz. of oil.

Cardamoms.
Though at present third in importance among the exports
due to the European planting industry, this spice is still
but little known in Europe or America. It is chiefly used
in India for cooking,
confectionery, and
masticating, but is
coming steadily into
use elsewhere, and
deserves to be more
widely known. About
10,000 acres, chiefly in
the mountain districts
north-eastof Kandy,at
an elevation of about
3,000 to 4,000 feet, are
now devoted to this
spice. The plant itself
 (Elettaria Cardamomum)
 belongs to
the ginger family, and
is not unlike ginger in
appearance, but very
much larger, growing
to a height of10 feet. It
iscultivatedin clumps
ander the shade of
the trees of the forest,
which has its undergrowth
 thinned out to
make room for it. The .
Aowers are borne in little racemes, and succeeded by little
capsule fruits, which are cut off with scissors, spread out in
trays or on barbecues, and slowly dried and bleached. The
essential part of the spice is the seed contained in the capsules,
but the latter are always dried with the seeds, and so far as
possible without splitting. If the seed were sold without
the capsules, they could be easily adulterated with other
similar and less valuable seeds.
The export of cardamoms in 1903 was 909,418 1b.
py

PICKING CARDAMOMS.