Of the Nutmeg ; the young plant in it difcovered ; the root of the Nut- 

 meg-tree examined and defcribed ; zvith fome hints from t/je Author 

 refpeSiing the befi method of preferring Nutmegs from being injured 

 by infers. 



XlAVING, at many different times, employed myfelf in the exa- 

 mination of Nutmegs, in order, if poflible, to difcover the young plant 

 of the future tree (which, I was well affured they contained) but 

 always without fuccefs, I at length received, from one of the Di- 

 reftors of the Eafl India Company, refiding in our tovvn, a few 

 Nutmegs, and alfo a parcel of powder or dufty matter, which had 

 been found adhering to fome of the nuts *, to the intent, that I 

 might examine them, and fee whether this powder had not been 

 gnawed or bitten oif the nuts by mites. 



With the greateft accuracy I was able, I examined this dufty 

 matter, and, with all my attention, I could not difcover in it any 

 mite either alive or dead, but in fome of the Nutmegs which had 

 been in part eaten away, I found feveral fmall maggots of different 

 kinds, and alfo a few flying infe6ls which I concluded had been bred 

 from maggots of the fame fpecies; but the bodies of all thefe 

 creatures were fo much fhrivelled, tliat I concluded they had been 

 long dead, and that, not being natives of thefe regions, they could 

 not endure the cold of our climate. 



* This valuable fruit or fpice, which, in Englifh, is called by the fingle vvord Nutmet^, is 

 in Dutch denominated Noot Mufcaat, herein agreeing with the botanical Latin name Nux 

 mofchata, the Mufk-nut J it is alfo denominated Nux myriflica, the odoriferous or I'weet- 

 fmclling nut. 



Nn 



