8 8,125,545 3,185,337
1849 4,796,042 3,257,911
1850 8,028,319 3,170,883
1851 3,996,496 3,303,403
1852 6,641,699 3,524,501

The following return shows the number of bags of pepper imported into
the United Kingdom, with the quantity retained for home consumption:--

Imports. Retained for home consumption.
Black. White. Black. White.
bags bags bags. bags.
1843 37,840 3,861 21,163 2,257
1844 60,705 2,123 23,525 2,122
1845 80,600 3,208 30,294 2,861
1847 37,194 1,236 28,768 2,654
1848 65,518 3,042 31,665 3,950
1849 43,651 2,616 32,246 3,859

CHILLIES AND CAYENNE PEPPER.

Chillies or capsicum are long roundish taper pods, divided into two or
three cells, full of small whitish seeds. When this fruit is fresh, it
has a penetrating acrid smell; to the taste it is extremely pungent,
and produces a most painful burning in the mouth. They are
occasionally imported dry, and form the basis of Cayenne pepper; put
in vinegar when green or ripe, they are an acceptable present in
Europe. In Bengal the natives make an extract from the chillies, which
is about the consistence and color of treacle.

The consumption of chillies in India is immense, as both rich and poor
daily use them, and it is the principal ingredient in all chutnies and
curries; ground into a paste, between two stones, with a little
mustard, oil, ginger, and salt, it forms the only seasoning which the
millions of poor in that country can obtain to eat with their insipid
rice. They are worth in the Bombay market about 40s. the candy of 600
lbs.

Immense quantities of the capsicum are used by the native population
of the West Indies, Africa, and Mexico; the consumption as a condiment
being almost universal, and perhaps equal in quantity to salt. Ten
barrels of these peppers were shipped from Montego Bay, Jamaica, in
the first six months of 1851.

The wholesale price of chillies in the London market is from 15s. to
25s. the cwt., and there is a duty of 6d. per pound on them. Cayenne
fetches 9d. to 2s. the pound.

Chilli is the Mexican name for all varieties of _Capsicum