704 J A M A 1 C A. 



plexion, and the rattling of the feeds ; they appear at this time wrink- 

 led, and have chanced from 2:reen to a very dark brown ; and in this 

 flate, being re.idy for the market, th-y are flowed in bags or cafks. 

 Some planters kiln dry them with great fuceefs, and it feems indeed a 

 mod eligible method, where, from the abnndarjcc of the crop, difpateb, 

 a'.id fecurity againft rain, are very eflential [o]. 



Some of thefe trees are obferved to bear no fniit, whidi has led feve- 

 ral perfons to coniedlure, that there are male and female trees ; but Dr. 

 Browne refutes tliis notion ; aflerts they arc hermaphroditical, and 

 ilippofes, that if thofe called males were lopped and broken like the 

 Teft, for one or two years, they would produce equally well. 



As there is i'o great an affinity between this and the true clove, it 

 has been propofed, as worthy of tri.il, if the fruit, when firft formed, or 

 the flowers picked off the tree, and dried, might not anfwer the fame 

 purpofe as the Aliatic ; at Icaft, it might anfwer as a good fuc- 

 <edaneuin for that fpice, and deferves the experiment, as being the 

 growth of our own colony. The quantity exported from Jamaica 

 may be eftimated, one year with another, at 2,000,000 of pounds, or 

 upwards, which atyr/. per lb. is worth $^^333^- ft^rling [/]• 



A walk once formed, is attended with little or no labour, or expence, 

 till the time of gathering, and this is performed with very few hands ; 

 nor is the land ufelefs for other purpofes 3 for under the trees is gene- 

 rally good pafturage for cattle, horfes, or fheep. Some who poflefs a 

 fugar plantation, as well as a walk, contrive to attend bothj the pi- 

 mento crop coming in, ju(l after the fugar crop is fniiflied. 



The more odoriferous and fmaller the berries are, the better they are 

 accounted at market. The leaves and bark are full of aromatic inflam- 

 mable particles, for which reafon the growers are extremely cautious 

 not to fufTer any fire to be made near the walks, for if it once fhould 

 catch the trees, they would confume with great fury. Nothing can 

 be more delicious than the odour of thefe walks, when the trees are in 



[0] As a proof of the fiipcrior luiliry of thisprocefs to that of fiin-diyiiig, no lefs than 2000 lb. 

 wt. has been gathered, kiln-dried, and fhi])t in the (ptice ol twenty-foui hours. In curing, it lofes 

 iibout two-thirds of its weight. 



[p\ The duty and charges amounting to 2 \(1. per lb., ther« remains for clear profit only 4 ', il., 

 which by niofl ot the planters is thought too little to anfwer the capital, and the labour employed 

 upon this article; but I fjueftion, if this opinion will not appear rather unreafonablc ; the only 

 point which feems to give ii fome jullification is, that the crops are very precarious. 



bloflbm, 



