18 ODOROGEAPHIA. 



hard, it makes a black spot on the nutmeg, wliich affects the value 

 considerably. When cracked, the nuts are sorted according to size, 

 put into ordinary flour-barrels and shipped. Regarding the value 

 of the produce of nutmeg trees when in full bearing, it is stated, 

 that one grower in 1883 realized from two trees as much as £30. 



The " Eeport of the Jamaica collection of products at the Inter- 

 national Exhibition at Philadelphia, 1876," states that " The 

 nutmegs exhibited by Jamaica were not equal in point of value to 

 the remarkably large and fine specimens shewn by several other 

 countries. The value of nutmegs depends upon size, — the larger 

 the size, the greater the value." 



The dried produce of a nutmeg tree consists of nutmeg, mace 

 and shell in the following proportions : — In 15 parts of the whole 

 produce there are two parts of mace, 5 of shell and 8 of nutmegs. 

 Hence, although nutmegs in the shell keep better than the clean 

 or shelled nutmegs, yet the heavy allowance required for the shell 

 (viz., about one-third) is a serious objection to their preservation 

 in this form. 



In commerce, two kinds of nutmegs are met with : the " round 

 nutmegs," and the " long " or wild nutmegs. 



The " true " round or ''female " nutmeg, Nux myristica 

 fcemina, Clusius {Nux muschata fructo rotundo, C. Bauh.), is 

 the produce of Myristica fragrant. It is about an inch in 

 length, its shape is roundish or elliptical, like that of the French 

 olive ; externally it is marked with reticulated furrows. The 

 colour of the " unlimed " or " brown " nutmeg is ashy-brown ; 

 that of the "limed" nutmeg is brown on the projecting parts, 

 and white (from the presence of lime) in the depressions. 

 Internally, nutmegs are pale reddish-grey, with red veins. 

 Occasionally the round nutmeg is imported in the shell. This 

 is dark and shiny. 



A very small nutmeg, not larger than a pea, is mentioned 

 by Pereira* under the name of " Eoyal ISTutmeg " {iiux moschata 

 regia). 



Penang Nutmegs are unlimed, or brown nutmegs, and fetch 

 the highest price. They are sometimes limed in London for 

 exportation to continental markets ^\here that description is 

 preferred. 



^Mat. Med. II., Pt. i., p. 473. 



