rticle of
commerce, fetching in the London market 12s. to 16s. per cwt. in
bond. It is the rhizoma of _Alpinia Galanga_. Its taste is peppery and
aromatic. Externally the color of the root-stocks is reddish brown,
internally pale reddish white.

1,280 cwt. of galangale root, valued at 2,880 dollars, was exported
from Canton in 1850.

CARDAMOMS.

Cardamoms are the production of various species of plants of the same
tribe as the ginger, and might be profitably cultivated with that
aromatic root, as well as the Turmeric (_Curcuma longa_), which see.

Various species of _Alpiniae_, _Amomum_, _Elettaria_, _and Renealmia_,
appear to furnish the cardamoms of the shops, which consist of the
oval, trivalvular capsules containing the seeds. The bright yellow
seeds are used in medicine as aromatic tonics and carminatives; and
for curries, ketchups, soups, &c. Their active ingredient is a pungent
volatile oil. The least dampness injures the finer sorts. About 688
cwts. of cardamoms, and 5,000 cwts. of bastard cardamoms are annually
exported from Siam, "We imported about 300 tons in 1849. The price
ranges from 1s. 6d. to 3s. the pound. The estimated value of the
cardamoms and pepper shipped from Ceylon in the past few years was as
follows:--1846, L208; 1847, L246; 1848, L205; 1849, L454; 1850, L960;
1851, L771; 1852, L590. The" following are some of the plants from
which cardamoms are procured.

1. _Amomum Cardamomum_, a Java plant, supplies the round cardamoms. It
has pale brown flowers. The fruit varies in size from that of a black
currant to a cherry.

_2. A. angustifolium_ (Pereira), a plant having red blossoms;
furnishes the large Madagascar cardamoms, and also supplies some of
the seeds called "Grains of Paradise," which are, however, larger than
those imported under that name.

This species is found in Abyssinia, according to my friend Mr. Chas.
Johnston, author of "Travels in Abyssinia," who favored me with some
specimens. The seeds are pale olive brown, devoid of the fiery peppery
taste of the grains of paradise.

3. _A. maximum_, the great winged amomum, produces the Java cardamoma
of the London market, and is also grown extensively in Ceylon, the
Malay islands, Nepaul, Sumatra, and other islands of the Eastern
Archipelago. There were exported from Ceylon in 1842, 5,364 lbs.; in
1843, 9,632 lbs.; 1844, 7,280 lbs.; and in 1845, 11,812 lbs. The pods
are large and long, and dark colored, approaching to black, the