MYR 



M Y R 



surface : the peduncles are purplish, twice as 

 long as the leaves, subracemose, in pairs : the 

 pedicels opposite, commonly four, very remote, 

 three-flowered : the flowers are pedicelled : the 

 calyx is purplish, with roundish segments : the 

 petals oblong, small : the fruit globular, the 

 size of a pepper-corn. It is a native of the 

 West Indies. 



The ninth grows to the height of thirty feet 

 or more, in its native state, with a straight trunk, 

 covered with a smooth brown bark, dividing up- 

 wards into many branches which come out op- 

 posite, garnished with oblong leaves, resembling 

 those of the Bay-tree in form, colour, and tex- 

 ture, but longer, and placed by pairs : when 

 these are bruised or broken, they have a very 

 fine aromatic odour like that of the fruit : the 

 branches grow very regular, so that the trees 

 make a fine appearance, and as they retain their 

 leaves through the year, they are worthy of be- 

 ing propagated for ornament and shade about 

 the habitations of the planters : the flowers are 

 produced in large loose bunches from the side 

 of the branches, towards their ends ; each branch 

 is »l»o terminated by a larger bunch than the 

 other ; the flowers are small, and of an herba- 

 ceous colour. It is a native of the West Indies, 

 flowering in June, July, and August. 



The berries arc chiefly imported from Jamaica, 

 whence the name Jamaica Pepper; and it is also 

 named All -spice, from a notion of its taste being 

 compounded of several other spices. 



It begins to bear fruit in three years after it is 

 planted, but does not arrive at maturity until 

 seven, then often yielding one thousand pounds 

 weight of fruit from an acre. 



According to the editor of Miller's Dictionary, 

 * f the berries are generally gathered in July in their 

 green stale, bv twisting oft" the twigs with the 

 hand, or a pole cleft at one end ; and are laid 

 on cloth spread over the baibacues or terraced 

 floors raised a little above the ground, inclosed 

 with an upright ledge of eight or ten inches in 

 height, and divided by transverse partitions into 

 four or more square compartments, that each 

 may contain a day's picking. During the first 

 and second day they are turned often, that the 

 whole may be more exposed to the sun; but 

 when they begin to dry, they are frequently 

 winnowed, and laid in cloths to preserve them 

 better from rain and dews, still exposing them 

 to the sun every day, and removing them under 

 corer every evening, till they are sufficiently 

 dried ; which usually happens in ten or twelve 

 days, and is known by the darkness of their 

 complexion, and the rattling of the seeds : they 

 appear at this time wrinkled, and changed to a 

 very dark brown. In this state, being ready for the 



market, they are stowed in bags or casks. 

 Some planters also kiln-dry them with great 

 success." 



Culture.— The first sort and all the different 

 varieties are capable of being increased by plant- 

 ing cuttingsofthestrongyoungshooisofthe same 

 year, making them about six inches long, clear- 

 ing about three inches of the bottom parts, then 

 twisting them and setting them into pots filled 

 with light rich earth, closing it well about them, 

 and watering them to settle it. The pots should 

 then be plunged in the tan hot-bed under glasses, 

 carefully shading them from the sun. This 

 should be done in the beginning of July, or in 

 the early spring. It is likewise useful to cover 

 them close with small glasses. 



They may also sometimes be stricken in pots 

 in the natural earth, under a shallow frame and 

 glasses in the summer months, as well as in the 

 open ground in a warm situation. 



Slips set out or treated in the same manner as 

 the cuttings, often strike root and produce good 

 plants. 



After the plants raised in any of the modes are 

 well rooted and begin to shoot, they should be gra- 

 dually inured to the open air, so as to be set out 

 in it towards the latter end of August in a warm 

 sheltered situation, being brought under the pro- 

 tection of the green-house in the beginning of 

 autumn, and placed in the less warm parts of 

 it, having free air admitted when the weather 

 will permit. They should be gently watered 

 during the winter, removing any decayed leaves- 

 that may appear upon them, and the mould of 

 the pots kept quite clean. The plants also suc- 

 ceed perfectly when placed under a common 

 frame in the winter season, air being freely ad- 

 mitted in fine weather. 



In the succeeding spring the plants should be 

 removed carefully with balls of earth about their 

 roots into separate small pots of rich light earth, 

 watering them well at the time, and setting 

 them under a frame, or in the green-house, till 

 perfectly established, when they may be removed 

 into the open air, being placed in a warm 

 aspect. 



Towards the beginning of autumn they should 

 be examined, and such plants as have their roots 

 proceeding through the holes in the bottoms of 

 the pots must be removed into others a size larger, 

 loosening the mould and matted roots, after- 

 wards filling the pots up with fresh rich earth, 

 and watering them well. They should then he 

 placed in a sheltered situation, trimming them 

 to a regular figure, and turning them up- 

 right, when they have a tendency to be 

 crooked, by proper slicks. When thus care- 

 fully trained while in their young growth, 



