| VOL. V. | FEBRUARY, 1898 | NO. 2 |
| THE well-known spice ginger is the
underground stem (rhizome) of an herbaceous
reed-like plant known asZingiber officinale. The
rhizome is perennial, but the leaf and flower-bearing
stems are annual. The stems are from three to six feet
high. The leaves of the upper part of the stem are
sword-shaped; the lower leaves are rudimentary and
sheath-like. The flowers occur in the form of conical
spikes borne upon the apex of stems which bear only
sheath-like leaves. The ginger plant is said to be a native of southern Asia, although it is now rarely found growing wild. It is very extensively cultivated in the tropical countries of both hemispheres, particularly in southern China, India, Africa, and Jamaica. The word ginger is said to have been derived from the Greek “Zingiber,” which again was derived from the Arabian “Zindschabil,” which means the “root from India.” It is further stated that the word was derived from Gingi, a country west of Pondecheri where the plant is said to grow wild. True ginger must not be confounded with “wild ginger,” which is a small herbaceous plant (Asarum canadense) of the United States. The long, slender rhizomes of Asarumhave a pungent, aromatic taste similar to ginger. According to popular belief this plant has a peculiar charm. Friends provided with the leaves are enabled to converse with each other, though many miles apart and speaking in the faintest whisper. The early Greeks and Romans made extensive use of ginger as a spice and as a medicine. During the third century it was apparently a very costly spice, but during the eleventh century it became cheaper, owing to extensive cultivation, and was quite generally used in Europe. Dioscrides and Plinius maintained that this spice was derived chiefly from Arabia. The noted traveler and historian, Marco Polo (1280-1290) is said to have been the first European who saw the wild-growing plant in its home in India. As early as the thirteenth century a considerable number of varieties of ginger were under cultivation, which received distinctive names as Beledi, Colombino, Gebeli, Deli, etc., usually named after the country or locality from which it was obtained. |
At
the present time Jamaica supplies the United States with
nearly all of the ginger, and this island is, therefore,
known as “the land of ginger.” Cochin-China and
Africa also yield much ginger. In Jamaica the process of
cultivation is somewhat as follows: During March and
April portions of rhizomes, each bearing an
“eye” (bud), are placed in furrows about one
foot apart and covered with a few inches of soil. The
lazy planter leaves portions of the rhizomes in the soil
from year to year so as to avoid the necessity of
planting, such ginger being known as “ratoon
ginger” in contradistinction to the “plant
ginger.” The planted ginger soon sprouts, sending up
shoots which require much sunlight and rain, both of
which are plentiful in Jamaica. The field should be kept
free from weeds which is not generally done for several
reasons. In the first place pulling the weeds is apt to
loosen the soil about the rhizomes which induces the
development of “ginger rot,” perhaps due to a
fungus. Secondly, the Jamaica ginger planter is naturally
lazy and does not like to exert himself. The careful
planter burns the soil over before planting so as to
destroy the seeds of weeds. In brief it may be stated
that ginger is planted, tended, and gathered much as
potatoes are in the United States. As soon as gathered
the rhizomes are freed from dirt, roots, and branches and
thrown into a vessel of water preparatory to peeling.
Peeling consists in removing the outer coat by means of a
narrow-bladed knife. As soon as peeled the rhizomes are
again thrown into water and washed. The object of keeping
the “roots” in water and washing them
frequently is to produce a white article. To this end
bleaching by means of burning sulphur and chlorine fumes
has been resorted to. Some ginger, especially that of
Jamaica, is dusted over with powdered lime; this colors
the ginger white very effectively. The bleaching
processes also serve to destroy parasites which may
infest the ginger before it is thoroughly dried. The drying or curing of ginger is done in the sun. A piece of ground is leveled and laid with stone and cement. Upon this the rhizomes are spread from day to day for from six to eight days. At night and during rains they are placed under cover. The small planter does the curing upon mats of sticks, boards, palm or banana leaves raised somewhat above the ground. Very frequently the drying is done upon leaves placed directly upon the ground. |