CHAPTEE III 



NUTMEGS AND MACE 



THESE spices are the produce of the East Asian nutmeg 

 tree, Myristica moschata, Linn., belonging to the order 

 Myristicaceae. This order contains the single genus 

 Myristica, of which upwards of 100 species are known, 

 scattered all over the tropics, but in greatest abundance 

 in the Malayan region. Although so large a number of 

 wild nutmegs are known, only one species contains 

 enough of the aromatic principle Myristicin to be of 

 any value for cultivation. There are, however, a few 

 others which are slightly aromatic, and occasionally 

 collected by natives and exported to Europe, more as 

 adulterants of the true nutmeg or its extracts, than for 

 separate use. The larger number of species known 

 possess no aroma and are quite valueless. A certain 

 number, however, produce an essential oil from the 

 crushed seed which is valued for soap-making and other 

 purposes. 



DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT 



The nutmeg plant is a somewhat bushy tree, about 

 30 or 40 ft. in height, though as grown in the Malay 

 Peninsula it is usually much smaller. The bark is of a 

 rather dark-grey colour. The branches are spreading, 

 and, as a rule, are produced nearly to the base of 

 the trunk. The leaves are alternate lanceolate and 

 acuminate, with a rather long point and narrowed to- 

 wards the base, to the short leaf-stalk. They are about 



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