PIMENTO OR ALLSPICE 201 



We have no record of any disease or pests of the 

 allspice tree. In fact, very little has been written 

 about the tree at all. It appears to be of easy cultivation 

 in Jamaica, though it seems to have failed elsewhere. 

 It is reported to be doing well in Fiji. 



The area under cultivation in Jamaica varies a 

 good deal, but exclusive of wild plants, the acreage for 

 different years has been returned as the following : 



1871 .... 717 acres 



1874 .... 1,392 



1875-1876 .... 2,363 



1879-1880 . 969 



CURING 



The pimento, after gathering, is carried in baskets to 

 the barbecue, which is a large paved court, divided into 

 compartments by a low bank, so that pimento gathered 

 on one day and partly dry may not mix with fresher 

 gathered berries. The berries are spread out in the sun 

 and turned over with a wooden rake, so that they may 

 be heated and dried on all sides by the sun. They take 

 from three to twelve days to dry. A good dry breeze 

 naturally helps. Tarpaulins are required for every 

 range of barbecues, so that in case of rain the spice may 

 not get wet. Sometimes an American fruit evaporator 

 is used to dry it, especially in wet weather. 



Damp spoils the spice by affecting the bright brown 

 colour, which is the chief point looked to by the buyers. 



The fruit is known to be dry when it rattles with a 

 sharp, dry, crisp sound when a handful is shaken close 

 to the ear. The spice is then stored till the crop is 

 finished, when it is all passed through a machine which 

 fans out dust and bits of leaves, and then it is placed 

 in bags for shipment. 



CROPS 



The average annual export from Jamaica is 75,000 

 bags, weighing 145 Ibs. each, or 11,275,000 Ibs. 



