Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1900-01-16
FACTS ABOUT GINGER.
IT IS THE Roo5 OF A TRoPl-
CAL REED
Import Tables Show that 1t Ranks
Second to Pepper Only Among the
Spices, about Even with Cassia, and
Ahead of Cloves.

Ginger is the root OF kind of reed.
grown both in the East and West
indies and China, also largely. in MaIa-
bar. and to a certain extent in nearly all
tropical countries; it is also to be found.
though of poor quality, in most OF our
gulf states. The stem or reed is an an
nual, and grows directly from the root
every spring to the height of about
three feet, with long blades or lanceoIate
leaves. resembling very much. in style
and color our American maize or corn.
rms reed or stalk terminates in an OBJ
long scaiy spike, and from each of the
scales grows a little blue and white
flower. This plant is now cultivated in
very great quantities in the West Ind
les, especially in the Island of gainaica,
from which place the finest and most
esteemed is imported.
JamRica ginger is not only cultivated
to very great perfection. but the select
ing. scraping, drying and all the neces-
sary details in its preparation are OBJ
served With the utmost care and nicely.
Ginger Is imported into this country
either in the form of the dried roots or
as preserve in syrup and comes from
Cochin China. Africa and the East or
West Indies. The preserved ginger
from the West Indies is much esteemed
and commands very high price. The
ginger root grows i'll 'knotty branched
pieces, in low, fenny or marshy soils.
and has pleasant aromatic odor and
biting taste. There are two kinds of
ginger, viz, the black and the white.
Black ginger consists of the inferior
roots, which have been stepped in boil
Ing water previous to being dried in the
sun. The color of the darkest kinds,
however, is not black. but more of a
dirty brown or stone color. White Gin
ger consists of the roundest and finest
roots scraped clean and then dried care
fully without being scalded. 1t is firm
er, less fibrous and more pungent than
the black, and from the fact that the
hnest and soundest roots are ALWAYS
selected, white ginger is, independent
OF the manner of its preparation, super
lor TO black, and always realizes much
higher price in the market; but the diff
ference of color depends wholly upon
the manner of curing or preparing. For
Doth OF these kinds the tubes or roots
are allowed to ripen; that is, they are
not dug up until after the annual stalks
are withered.
The principal varieties of ginger
known in commerce are, white ginger
Jamaica, Cochin China. African, East
Indian or Bengal and TelIicheri; black
or dark ginger-Jamacia and Malabar.
Gingers imported into Europe are sub
Jected to various modes of treatment.
which tend greatly to improve and pre-
serve them, for the finer its quality the
more susceptible is ginger to the raw
ages of the fly or ginger worm. These
various modes of treatment are wash.
Ing, Frightening and bleaching, and the
glngers are consequently known in the
trade as Originals" viz, the ginger as
imported; washed" that which has
been cleaned in water slightly acidified;
bright" the ginger which has under
gone the preparatory course of bleach
ing, and "bleached," that which has
received a coating or dressing of lime.
etc. These latter modes of treatment OF
ginger until recently were carried on
exclusively by experts III Europe, and
it is only within the last few years that
the art has been introduced into this
country Preserved ginger as man
ufactured here and in Europe is dark
and fibrous, but when prepared in the
East or West Indies or China, the West
Indies especially, from the young roots,
it is almost transparent. 1t is imported
in jars, and should be of a bright.
yellow color. Ginger is imported from
Jamaica in barrels of about 100 pounds
each. with actual tare allowance; from
Cochin China and Malabar in cases of
about 200 pounds each, also with actual
tare allowance. African and East Ind
ian ginger comes in bags Of 100'pounds
each bag.
Ginger is one Of the most important
members Of the spice family. The
import tables show that between :. 1000 4
900 and 100000 pounds OF the dnied
root is used annually in this country.
about the same quantity as is taken of
cassia. Between 25O000 and 100000
pounds of preserved ginger is imported
annually, the average import price for
the preserved article and the root being
about four cents a pound in each case.
In order of Importance, as shown by
the import tables, ginger ranks with
cassia next to pepper, which is twice
as popular as any other spice, and
cloves are good third.