CHAPTER VII. 



Nutmegs. Soil and situation. Rainfall. Curing of nutmegs and mace. 

 Yield of trees. Pimento or Allspice. Cinnamon and camphor. 

 Cardamoms. Elevation, spil, and shade. .Returns per acre. Black 

 pepper. Native peppers. ' Ipecacuanha : true and bastard. Variety 

 from Carthagena. Ginger. Turmeric. Sarsaparilla. How cultivated 

 in Jamaica. Returns per acre. Oil plants. "Wangle, pindar, castor- 

 oil, palm-oil, and oil of Ben. Cloves. Fodder plants. Guinea grass. 

 Para or water grass. Bahama grass. Natural grasses of the country. 

 Rain-tree. Fodder and shade. Fruit-trees. Mango. Bread-fruit. 

 Star-apple. Akee and Avocado pear. Mangosteen. Durian and new 

 fruit-trees. Food plants. Yams, sweet potatoes, beans and cassava. 

 Pumpkins, cucumbers, and melons. Vegetables and salads. 



Nutmegs. The cultivation of nutmegs is likely in every way 

 to be successful in British Honduras, with its deep, rich alluvial 

 soil on banks of rivers, and so admirably sheltered in most cases 

 from strong winds. 



The nutmeg- tree will not, however, thrive in a sandy soil, 

 but prefers a deep, loamy, red, or friable soil; and while it 

 requires a warm, humid atmosphere, and a plentiful supply of 

 rain, it is very impatient of stagnant water near the roots. 

 Again, " a spot selected for a nutmeg plantation cannot be too 

 well sheltered, as high winds are most destructive to the tree, 

 independently of the loss occasioned by the blowing off of fruit 

 and flower." The nutmeg-trees may be planted in suitable 

 districts, as indicated above, at about 25 feet to- 30 feet apart ; 

 when first put out, the plants require to be well shaded, and if 

 the weather be dry, to be watered regularly for a week or ten 

 days. 



It would not be advisable to establish nutmeg plantations in 



