288 MYRTACE.E. 



Sloane ^ (1691) it was commonly sold by druggists for Carp- 

 halsamitm. Ray (1693) distinguished the spice as a production of 

 Jamaica under the name of Stveet- scented Jamaica Pepijer or Allq/i'^ 

 and states it to be abundantly imported into England, and in frequent 

 use as a condiment, though not employed in medicine. The spice had 

 a place in the London Pharmacopoeia as early as 1721. 



The consumption of Pimento has been enormous. In the year 

 1804-5, the quantity shipped from the British West Indies was 

 2,257,000 lb., producing on import duty a net revenue of £38,063.^ 



Production and Commerce — The spice found in commerce is 

 furnished wholly by the island of Jamaica. A plantation, there called 

 Pimento 



) 



which require but little attention. The flowers appear in June, Jul) 

 and August, and are quickly succeeded by the berries, which are 

 gathered when of full size but still unripe. This is performed by 

 breaking off the small twigs bearing tlie bunches. These are theii 

 spread out, and exposed to the sun and air for some days, after ^fv^mch 

 the stalks are removed, and the berries are fit for being packed. 



By an official document ^ it appears that, in the year 1871, the amount 

 of land in Jamaica cropped with pimento was 7,178 acres. In tnatyeai 

 the island exported of the spice 6,857,838 lb., value £28,574. Ot tms 

 quantity Great Britain took 4,287,551 lb., and the United btato 

 2,266,950 lb. In 1875 the export was 57,500 cwts., valued at m,i^> 

 of which 10,894 cwts. only went to the United States. 



Description— Allspice is a small, dry globular berry, rather variable 

 in size, measuring -^ to less than y^ o^ ^^ ^^^^^ ^'^ diameter. ^ 

 crowned by a short style, seated in a depression, and surrounded } 

 short thick sepals ; generally however the latter have been ^ubbea^^^. 

 a scar-like raised ring marking their former position. The beir} 

 a woody shell or pericarp, easily cut, of a dark ferruginous orojvn, ^^_^ 

 rugose by reason of minute tubercles filled with essential od. 1^ i. ^^^ 

 celled, each cell containing a single, reniform, exalbuminous seed, na o^ 

 a large spirally curved embryo. The seed is aromatic, hut le, 

 than the pericarp. mbling 



Allspice has an agreeable, pungent, spicy flavour, much rese 

 that of cloves. _ , 



Microscopic Structure— The outer layer of the P^^f %^|g J^^ith 

 lately beneath the epidermis, contains numerous large cells ^^ , j^j 

 essential oil. The parenchyme further exhibits thick-walled cei^^'^j^j^n, 

 with resin, and smaller cells enclosing crystals of oxalate o ^^^^^ 

 The whole tissue is traversed by small fibro-vascular bundles. ^^^ 



are also provided with a small number of oil-cells, and contain 



crannies. 



to 



m 



mical ComDOSition — The com 



many points that of cloves. 



per cent, a volatile oil, sp. gr. 1037 (Gladstone), having w^- ^^^y,„i 

 istic taste and odour of the spice, and known in the shops 



1 Description of the Pimienta or Jamaica quoted in Young's West-Im m 

 Pepper-trec—Phil Trans, xvii. No. 191. place Bool; 1S07. 79. -ted IS?-- 



2 Parliamenlary Return, March 1805, » Blue Book for Jamaica, i> 



