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| + | {{Inc| |
| + | Pepper. With American horticulturists "pepper" usually means the red |
| + | pepper (Capsicum, which see) of which the green pepper is merely the |
| + | unripe stage. The black and white pepper of commerce are treated |
| + | under Piper. |
| + | |
| + | The red pepper (Capsicum) is doubtless native of the New World, as |
| + | there is no record of its having been known prior to the discovery of |
| + | America. According to Irving's "Life of Columbus," this plant was |
| + | first mentioned by Martyr in 1493, who says Columbus brought home |
| + | "pepper more pungent than that from Caucasus," evidently comparing it |
| + | with the black pepper of commerce from the oriental countries. It was |
| + | cultivated by the natives in tropical and southern America before |
| + | this time, and about a century later Gerarde speaks of its being |
| + | brought into European gardens from Africa and southern Asia. The ease |
| + | with which the plant spreads in warm latitudes, together with the |
| + | increased commercial trade immediately following the discovery of |
| + | America, doubtless caused a rapid dissemination through tropical Asia |
| + | and Africa, where it was supposed by many to be indigenous and from |
| + | there introduced into European gardens. |
| + | |
| + | The first record of the use of pepper is apparently by Chauca, |
| + | physician to the fleet of Columbus, who in 1494 alludes to it as a |
| + | condiment. Writers about a century later considered it valuable as an |
| + | aid to digestion and also mentioned its use in dressing meats, |
| + | dyeing, and other purposes. Medicinally it was much used for various |
| + | ailments, such as dropsy, colic, ague, and toothache, and when mixed |
| + | with honey and applied externally was used as a remedy for quinsy. At |
| + | a later date preparations were given for black vomit and various |
| + | tropical feyers, and for a tonic, also for gout, paralysis and other |
| + | diseases. Its modern use is largely as a condiment, forming a |
| + | seasoning in almost every dish esten by the inhabitants of warm |
| + | countries. The smaller varieties are mostly used for this purpose. |
| + | |
| + | The cayenne pepper of commerce consists of the small pungent fruits |
| + | reduced to a powder. The unground fruit is also made into pepper |
| + | sauce of various brands by preserving in brine or strong vinegar. The |
| + | Tabasco variety furnishes the well-known Tabasco pepper sauce and |
| + | Tabasco catsup. "Chilli con carnie consists of the small pungent |
| + | varieties finely ground and mixed with meat. These hot varieties are |
| + | often eaten raw by native Mexicans, as are radishes, and also form an |
| + | important ingredient of tomales so common in that country and fairly |
| + | well known in the southern United States. The large thick-fleshed |
| + | sweet varieties are desired more by persons farther north who use |
| + | them in various ways,served like tomatoes in either ripe or green |
| + | state, with vinegar and salt, or made into mangoes by cutting one |
| + | side, removing seeds and filling with chow-chow pickles. The parts |
| + | are then tied together,placed in jars with vinegar and kept until |
| + | wanted. The fruit is often used in stuffing pitted olives after being |
| + | cooked in olive oil. In Spain some are canned after being thus cooked |
| + | and eaten with French salad dressing. |
| + | |
| + | Paprika is a well-known Hungarian and Spanish condiment made from |
| + | the long, and more or less pointed type of peppers. The Spanish |
| + | paprika is much milder in flavor than the Hungarian, it being made |
| + | from a less pungent pepper and doubtless in its preparation more of |
| + | the seeds and placentae are removed, which process makes a milder |
| + | condiment. The seed of peppers is more or less used as a bird food; |
| + | and the plants of some varieties, like Little Gem and Celestial, are |
| + | grown more especially for ornamental purposes. |
| + | |
| + | Some thirty varieties are recorded by American seedsmen. They differ |
| + | from one another mainly in the form and pungency of fruit and habit |
| + | of growth. There are endless forms among peppers, but certain types |
| + | are well fixed, as indicated by the botanical varieties under |
| + | Capsicum. Pungency is to be found in all peppers and while located in |
| + | the placentae, other parts may acquire it by contact. Most of the |
| + | smaller sorts, like Coral Gem, Tabasco, Chilli, Cayenne, and Cherry |
| + | contain more of the pungent properties than the large kinds, like |
| + | Ruby King (Fig. 2866), Squash, Bell, Sweet Mountain, and Golden |
| + | Queen. Some medium-sized varieties, like Long Red, Celestial, and |
| + | Oxheart, are hot; others, like County Fair and Kaleidoscope, are |
| + | mild. |
| + | |
| + | Peppers are classed as one of the minor vegetables in that they have |
| + | not been grown in large quantities in any one locality and the |
| + | aggregate production is smaller than the so-called truck crops, such |
| + | as tomatoes, cucumbers, and the like. Most gardens near large cities |
| + | in the central and southern states have been growing a few to supply |
| + | the local markets. During the last decade there has been a decided |
| + | increase m acreage. The census report for 1900 gives no report of |
| + | production of peppers, but for 1910 there were recorded for the |
| + | United States, 1,641 farms containing 3,483 acres, valued at |
| + | $408,741, an average of $117.47 an acre. Four states with the largest |
| + | acreage are: |
| + | |
| + | No. of farms Aver.area Aver. value |
| + | Acres a farm Value an acre |
| + | |
| + | New Jersey 822 1,882 2.29 $149,433 $79 40 |
| + | |
| + | California 55 417 7.56 52,294 124 92 |
| + | |
| + | Florida 143 296 2.07 94,246 318 40 |
| + | |
| + | New Merico 266 260 0.97 17,228 66 26 |
| + | |
| + | This record ignores quantities of less than an acre with the evident |
| + | exception of New Mexico, which averages .03 less than 1 acre to a |
| + | farm. |
| + | |
| + | It is estimated that approximately 4,000,000 pounds of paprika were |
| + | imported each year during the last three or four years. The United |
| + | States Department of Agriculture has demonstrated that this product |
| + | can be profitably produced in the South, but if the consumption is |
| + | limited to the above figure the acreage must continue to be very |
| + | limited. |
| + | |
| + | In growing peppers, the seed is usually planted under glass in |
| + | February or March, and the young plants transplanted to pots or boxes |
| + | when of sufficient size to handle. From twelve to twenty days are |
| + | required for the seed to germinate, the time varying according to the |
| + | age of the seed and the manner in which it has been kept. Its |
| + | germinating power is said to last four years, and if kept in pods |
| + | until sown will grow when six or seven years old. A light warm soil, |
| + | heavily charged with humus and one that will not quickly dry out. |
| + | appears to be the best. In May or June, or after all danger of frost |
| + | is past, the plants (Fig. 2867) are set in the field in rows about 2 |
| + | 1/2 feet apart and 18 inches apart in the rows. The ground is kept |
| + | thoroughly cultivated, not only to keep down weeds but to maintain an |
| + | even but not excessive moisture at all times, which is very essential |
| + | for best results in growing this plant. By keeping the soil well |
| + | worked up around the plants, they stand up much better against the |
| + | winds and weight of their own fruit. Pruning or pinching the tip ends |
| + | after the fruit begins to mature is occasionally recommended, but is |
| + | rarely practised except when specimens of especially fine fruit are |
| + | desired, in which case the fruit is thinned, leaving only a few on |
| + | each plant of the larger sorts. In gathering, the fruit should not be |
| + | torn off but cut with a knife or scissors, leaving at least 1 inch of |
| + | stem. The usual vegetable crate is used for packing and marketing the |
| + | crop. |
| + | |
| + | Insects rarely injure peppers growing in the field. The pepper weevil |
| + | (Anthonomus eugenii) has done some damage to crops in the South. It |
| + | is said to be easily kept in control by gathering and destroying |
| + | infested pods. Tomato-worm, bollworm, white-fly and Colorado |
| + | potato-beetle sometimes attack the plant, but seldom do noticeable |
| + | injury. Red-epider and green-fly (aphis) frequently attack plants |
| + | growing under glass. The red- spider may be kept in check by |
| + | repeatedly syringing with water, and the green-fly may be killed by |
| + | fumigating with tobacco dust. Two fungous diseases frequently occur |
| + | on the large varieties growing outdoors. One is a pink anthracnose |
| + | (Glaeosporium piperatum), which causes the fruit to rot about the |
| + | time it begins to ripen; the other is a dark anthracnose |
| + | (Colletotrichum nigrum ). In preparing peppers for table use, handle |
| + | them with gloves to prevent burning the fingers. Neither soap nor |
| + | water will soothe hands burned by peppers, but milk will |
| + | H.C. Irish. |
| + | }} |
| + | |
| :''This page is for the ''Capsicum'' genus, including Green or Bell peppers and various Chili peppers, for others see [[list of peppers]]'' | | :''This page is for the ''Capsicum'' genus, including Green or Bell peppers and various Chili peppers, for others see [[list of peppers]]'' |
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