502 



MYHISTICE^. 



couimenced in France in the latter Lalf of the last century, and has 

 been pursued with some enthusiasm in various localities. The species 

 grown were Bheitm palmatitTn L., Wi. itQidulatum L,, Bh, compaction 

 L., and RL Bhaponticuni L. The first was thought by Guibourt^ to 

 nfford a root more nearly approaching than any other the rhubarb of 

 China; but it is that which is cultivated the least readily, the central 

 root being liable to premature decay. Both this plant and Rk 

 unclidafiim were formerly cultivated by order of the Russian Govern- 

 ment on a large scale at Kolywan and Krasnojarsk in Southern 

 Siberia^ but the culture has, we believe, been long abandoned.^ 



As to France, it appears from inquiries we have lately made (1873), 

 that except in the neighbourhood of Avignon and in a few other scat- 

 tered localities, the cidtivation has now ceased. 



Rheum Rhaponticum is the source of the rhubarb which is pro- 

 duced at Austcrlitz and Auspitz in Moravia, and at Ilmitz, Kremnitz and 

 Frauenkirchen in Hungary. Some rhubarb is also produced in Silesia 

 from Rh, Eraocli Wall. {Rh. aitstrale Don.). 



MYRISTICE^. 



MYRISTICA. 



Nihclei MyristiciB, Semen Myristiccey Niix moscliata; JSiitmeg; 



F. Miiscadey Noix cle Muscacle; G. Mitskatnuss\ 



Botanical Origin 



fragrctns H 



, .... officinalis Linn, f.), a handsome, bushy, evergreen tree, 



with dark shining: leaves, growinof in its native islands to a height oi 



It is found wild in the very small volcanic gi'oup oi 



ram, Bouro, Jilolo (Halmahera), 



40 to 50 feet. 



Banda, from Darama to Amboina, in Ceram, J50uro, jiioiu ^xianuci^v.-/, 

 the western peninsula of New Guinea, and in many of the adjacent 

 islands, but it is not indigenous to any of the islands westward ot 

 these, or to the Philippines (Crawfurd). 



The nutmeg tree has been introduced into Bcncoolen on the west 

 coast of Sumatra, Malacca, Bengal, the islands of Singapore and Penang, 

 as well as Brazil and the West Indies ; but it is only in a very tew 

 localities that the cultivation has been attended with success.^ 



In its native countries the tree comes into bearing in its ninth year, 

 and is said to continue fruitful until GO or even 80 years old, yieldiug 

 annually as many as 2000 fruits. It is dioecious, and one male tree 

 furnishes pollen sufficient for twenty female. 



History— It has been generally believed that neither the nutmeg 

 nor mace was known to the ancients. C. F. Ph. von Martius' however 

 maintains that mace was alluded to in the comedies of Plautus,' written 

 about two centuries before the Christian era. 



^^Ilktoire des Drof/im, ii. (1840) 398. 



2 Twelve chests of this rhubarb, said to be 

 of the crop of 1793, which liud been lying 

 in the Russian Government wareliouses, 

 were offered for sale in London, Dec. 1, 

 18.)3. Samples of the drug now 80 years 

 old are m our possession, and still sound 



and good, 



'Most beautifully figi"-«^'J,%K 

 "numjjiia" i. (1835) tab. 65; i^i/"*' 



fatiin, li. 59. , ,<, ]33; 



* Flora BrasUkn^'f, fasc. "T.^r pA^;'- 

 also in I5nclincr's Rcpfrturntm Ja> 



m,>ch>, ix. (1860) 529 5S8. ^ 

 » P.ieuLlolii.% act. iii. scena -. 



