Ginger is a well known spice or flavoring. The common ginger plant is found in both the East and the West Indies.
Thick, fleshy, root-stocks, the size of a man's finger, send up leafy,
reed-like stems to a height of two or three feet; also leafless
flowering stalks which bear conical spikes of white, purple-lipped
flowers. The ginger of commerce is obtained from the root-stocks, either
by drying the root whole, or by scraping and washing. The former plan
yields what is known as black ginger; the latter, white ginger. The
best article is known as Jamaica ginger, sold usually in the form of
fluid extract. It comes from the island of that name. Ginger beer is
made from ginger, sugar and lemons, cream of tartar, etc. Ginger-bread
is a familiar sweet bread. Oil of ginger is used as a remedy to mitigate
pain. Preserved ginger is a popular confection. It is imported from
China in fancy jars. To prepare it the young root-stocks are boiled in
sirup.
