PIMENTO. 5^ 



acris t. 110 of the same work, the different character of the leaf 

 and fruit formation of the two plants being at a glance apparent 

 in these excellent plates). 



This handsome evergreen tree is indigenous to the West 

 Indies, and is found on calcareous soil near the coast, on the islands 

 of Cuba, Hayti, Trinidad, Domingo, Antigua, all through the 

 Leeward and Windward islands, and more or less in all the islands of 

 the Carribean, but is most abundant in Jamaica ; the groves of 

 these spice trees found there are magnificent, and produce more 

 than one half of the " all-spice " used in the United States. It is 

 also found in Central America — Mexico and Costa Rica — and in 

 Venezuela. 



The usual height of the tree is from 20 to 30 feet, 

 occasionally it is found over 40 feet. The trunk is slender, straight 

 and upright, much branched at the top and covered with a smooth 

 grey aromatic bark. The leaves are opposite, stalked, 4 to 6 

 inches long, oblong-lanceolate, somewhat tapering at the petiole, 

 blunt and rather emarginate at the apex, entire, smooth on both 

 surfaces, deep green, paler and minutely gland-dotted beneath, with 

 the midrib prominent. They are particularly aromatic in the fresh 

 state, abounding in essential oil. 



In the month of July, the head of the tree is covered with an 

 exuberance of very small fragrant flowers, the perfume of which 

 is carried to a distance by the wind. These flowers are produced 

 in bunches or trichotomous panicles at the extremities of the 

 branches. The calyx is divided into four roundish segments. The 

 petals are four, reflected, and of a greenish white colour. The 

 filaments are numerous, longer than the corolla, spreading, of the 

 same colour as the petals, supporting roundish, white anthers. 

 The style is simple, erect, with an obtuse stigma. The fruit is a 

 smooth, shining, succulent berry, crowned with the persistent calyx, 

 of a black or dark purple colour when ripe and containing two 

 kidney-shaped flattish seeds. The fruit, when ripe, is filled with a 

 sweet pulp, and the aromatic property which so strongly 

 characterises it in the unripe state, has in a great measure 

 disappeared. The gathering of the berries therefore takes place as 

 soon as they have reached their full size and whilst still green. 

 They are gathered by hand and dried on mats placed on terraced 

 wooden floors. During the first and second days they are often 

 turned, to be fully exposed to the sun. When they begin to dry, 



