:nutmeg8 and mace. 21 



fragments can be used for the production of essential oil. They 

 are also very liable to be attacked by maggots, even when they 

 have been " limed." Their aroma is very permanent even after 

 being kept a number of years ; samples dating from the previous 

 century have still a strong smell when crushed. Hitherto the 

 mace has not been brought into commerce. Samples of it brought 

 to Europe have a dirty grey or red-brown colour, but this is 

 probably due to defective drying. It is uncertain whether in 

 drying the mace would acquire the yellow-red colour of that of 

 M. fragrans, but it is certainly capable of being made useful, 

 provided it can be properly prepared. 



These nutmegs would come into actual competition with true 

 nutmegs only in the event of their being carefully cultivated and 

 gathered as the produce of M. fragrans is, and it is not improbable 

 that their lower price would be compensated by a larger yield. 



The nutmegs of M. argentea differ from true nutmegs in their 

 narrow, long shape, and the relatively less marked arillus furrows. 

 The arillus generally consists of four broad stripes, which are 

 united above and below. The same with the hard shell is from 

 3 J to 4 J cm. long, and from 2 to 2 J cm. broad. It is broadest 

 at the base, and becomes gradually narrower towards the end, 

 externally of a bright red colour when fresh, but as met with in 

 commerce it is generally of a yellow-brown colour. The fruit is 

 imbedded in a very thick pericarp, and when fresh it is from 4J 

 to 6 J cm. long and 4 J to 5 J cm. broad. The testa is nearly 

 1 m.m. thick. The endosperm contains much starch, and the 

 brown runcination streaks, which alone contain the aroma, are 

 more scattered and coarser than in true nutmegs. The cotyledons 

 are joined in a disc swelled at its edges to 5 m.m. diameter. 



At a meeting of the Berlin Pharmaceutical Society, 2nd June, 

 1892, Dr. Warburg called attention to the species Myristica 

 succedanea, which was discovered by Eeinwardt in the island of 

 Tidoee (one of the Moluccas) in 1821. These nutmegs can 

 scarcely be distinguished from those of M. fragrans, and they are 

 very aromatic. The leaves and flowers of this variety are, however, 

 quite different from those of M. fragrans. 



In New Guinea there is a great number of varieties of nutmeg 

 plants, the produce of which possess some aroma, but, though 

 permanent, it is generally too feeble to admit of these kinds 

 being used to any extent as substitutes for true nutmegs. 



