Cardamons.
Cardamons consist of the seeds of two species of plants, the Elettaria of Malabar and the Amomon of China, Guinea and other parts of the East Indies. As the seeds of the two species differ in some respects we will describe the Ellettaria kind. The plant, which grows 5 to 10 ft. high, has a reed-like habit and bear long, loose racemes of flowers, succeeded by triangular capsules, of a dirty white color, containing a number of dark brown, angular seeds about the size of mustard seeds. The capsules or fruits, which vary from ½ in. to 2 in. in length, are collected from wild plants and also from plantations, the latter being generally laid out in partially cleared forests in which the wild plants are known to occur. When about 3 years old the plants begin to bear. The capsules do not all ripen at the same time, and the harvest lasts for nearly two months. The capsules are gathered before they are ripe and then cured in the sun, after which the stalks and remains of flowers are carefully removed by means of scissors. They are then graded into “shorts,” “short-longs,” and “long-longs,” according to their length; sometimes they are mixed and classed as lesser or greater cardamons. Cardamon seeds are exported in the capsules in order to prevent adulteration. The seeds have a very delicate aroma and are slightly pungent. They were well known to the ancients, and are used at present in medicine, particularly in veterinary practice, also in flavoring culinary sauces, soups, curries, cordials, pastry, and for imparting a factitious strength to vinegar, beer, wines and spirits, especially gin; their use creates a thirst. The seeds depend for their quality on a pungent essential oil, of which they contain about 3 per cent, called oil of cardamons; they also contain about 10 per cent of a fixed oil. The seeds of the “Amomum” species of cardamons are bright black in color outside, white inside and small and angular in shape; they are slightly aromatic, very hot and pungent.
Cardamons are known as grains of Paradise, Melegueta pepper, Guinea grains and Guinea pepper.