210 



POLYOAMIA. 



20-2 



merly used by butchers, to sweep tbeir blocks, whence the 

 common name. 



The Juniper, Yew tree, and Nepenthes, or Chinese Pitcher 

 Plant, belong to the present class and order. 



GENUS Myristica. Nutmeg. Name from the Greek, 

 murra, myrrh, on account of its odor. The True Nutmeg, 

 (Myristica moschata,) is a tree about thirty feet high, which 

 is cultivated in the East Indies for its fruit. The tree yields 

 three crops annually. The entire fruit is about the size of a 

 peach, and like it has a furrow on one side. The external 

 covering is smooth, fleshy, and bitter. As this dries it bursts 

 and discloses the next coat, which is the mace of commerce. 

 Within the mace, is enclosed the nut, which is a kernel of a 

 dark brown color, well known under the 

 name of Nutmeg. The external coat 

 and the mace, are taken off at the time of 

 gathering the fruit. The mace is dried 

 in the sun, being now and then sprinkled 

 with salt water for its preservation. The 

 riut is exposed to heat and smoke for 

 three months, after which it is thrown 

 into strong lime water, then dried and 

 packed up for sale. All this is said to 

 be necessary for their preservation. The 

 Fig. (202) represents the fruit at the 

 time of gathering, with a small branch 

 of the tree. 



CLASS XXIIL POLYGAMIA. Order* 3. 



Flowers either staminate, pistillate, or perfect, upon the same, 



or on different plants. 



This class differs from the two Fi w - 



preceding ones, in having not only 

 the stamens and pistils in different 

 flowers upon the same individual, 

 as in Monoecia, or upon separate 

 individuals, as in Dioecia, but also 

 in having the two parts combined 

 in one flower, and mixed with 

 those which are either staminate 

 or pistillate. 



This class, though still retained 

 by some of the best writers, ought undoubtedly to be dis- 



In what manner does the nutmeg grow ? 



