Crawford avalanche., 1900-01-04
FACTS AB0UTGINGER.


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t+spsst "FsEis. shov tAas. II ls.hs
teecanA. % Pepper Oaly Among the
Spies. About Evsa with cassla. and
Ahead Of Cloves.
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. Ginger ais the root Of . kind Of reed.
grows both II the Fast and West
indies and China. also largely lntMala-
bar. and to q certain extent In nearly al
tropical countries; II Is also to be found.
though -Qf poor quality. In most Of our
gnf stntes. The stem or reed u m an
anal and srows directly from the root
avery sprtag 70 the height ef abeut
three test, with long blAdes Or iancsOlats
leaves. resembling very much In style
/, and cDl0r our American maize or corn.
This reed or stalk terminates In an OBJ
long scaly spike. and from each OF the
scales grows little blue and white
aower. This plant Is now cultivated in
very great quantities In. the West Ind
les, especially In the Island Of Jamaica.
from which place the finest and most
esteemed Is imported.
Jamaica ginger Is not only cultivated
% very great perfection. but the select
ing. scraping. drying and all the neces-
sary details In It's preparation are OBJ
served'Hit the utmost care and nicely.
0inger ss Imported into this country
aither In the form Of the dried roots or
% q preserve In syrup and coinesifro
Cochin. China. Africa and the East or
West ,4qdies. The preserved ginger
from the West Indies Is much esteemed
and commands very high price. The
ginger root grows In 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
dnest and -soundest roots are always
selected. white ginger Is. independent
OF the manner OF its preparation, super
tor to black, and always realizes a much
DhsAr In hn ,-Iy -. f,.,A n
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
ere withered.
The principal varieties of ginger
known In commerce are. white ginger
--Jamaica, Cochin China. African, East
Indian or Bengal and Tellicheri; 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
ting, Frightening and bleaching. and the
Etngers 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 Line.
etc. These latter modes OF treatment OF
ginger until recently were carried on
exclusively by experts in Europe, and
II Is only within the last few years that
the aft has been introduced into this
country. Preserved ginger as man.
ufactnred here and In Europe is dark
and 6hsSus, hut when prepared In the
Eastor West Indies or China. the West
Indies especially. from the young roots.
It Is almost transparent II Is imported
In Jars, and should be OF bright.
yellow color. Ginger is imported from
Jamaica In barrels OF about 100 pounds
each, with actual tare allowance; from
Cochin China and Mhlabar in cases of
about 200 pounds each. also with actual
tare allowance. African and East Ind
tan ginger comes ia bags Of 100 pounds
each bag.
Ginger is one of the most important
members of the spice family. The
import tables show that between 5,OOO.-
600 and 100000 pounds of the dried
roOt Is used annually in this country.
about the same quantity as Is taken Of
cassia. Between 25U,OOO and 5OO.CO
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 a good third.
LARGE PROFITS OF A BsGGAR.