West India      Entered for      East India      Entered for
ginger.    home consumption.    ginger.     home consumption.
cwts.           cwts.           cwts.            cwts.
1831     3,551           4,709             849               79
1832     5,947           6,795           2,508              213
1833     6,064           6,570          10,049            1,099
1834     9,913           9,918          10,004            1,638
1835     8,321           8,982           4,489            1,647
1836    10,226           6,304          13,589            3,524
1837    10,933           9,905          23,876            3,386
1838    13,366           9,944          25,649            1,431
1839     8,996           7,213          29,624              914
1840     5,381           7,935           9,719            1,568
1841     4,446           5,523           5,292            1,177
1842     4,671           5,068           3,680            1,956
1843     4,013           5,953           4,106            3,254
casks, &c.        casks.          bags.            bags.
1844     4,619           3,128           5,101            6,964
1845     6,033           4,000           8,165            7,938

Total               Retained for
ginger imported.       home consumption.
cwts.                   cwts.
1846        24,370                  15,937
1846        20,010                  15,163
1847        12,995                   9,744
1848        13,748                  10,454
1849        28,015                  12,880
1850        33,953                  16,543
1851        35,678                  19,855
1852        20,297                  18,691

GALANGALE ROOT is a good deal used in China, and forms an article 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.