NUTMEG PLANTATIONS. 345 



saw a ruined fort, and a church, that still retains 

 traces of having been a fine building, though it liad 

 been much shaken by an earthquake. After pass- 

 ing the church, we entered the nutmeg plantations. 



The scenery was most beautiful. Under the shade 

 of large kanari trees, whose luxuriant foliage most 

 effectually excluded the sun's rays, were thousands 

 of nutmeg trees loaded with blossom and fruit in 

 every stage of development. After passing through 

 above a mile of these, we arrived at a house belong- 

 ing to one of the planters, where we saw the pro- 

 cess of curing the nutmeg. 



In nine months from the opening of the blossom, 

 the fruit, which resembles in appearance and shape 

 an unripe peach, is gathered from the tree, by 

 means of a long stick with an iron hook at the end. 

 The outer covering, a tough fleshy skin which being- 

 opened divides in two halves, is then pulled off, 

 and the mace, which is found partly enveloping the 

 nut, is carefully separated and dried for two or 

 three davs in the sun. The nutmeo^s are then 

 placed on long bamboo platforms, under sheds 

 built for the purpose, where they are dried by 

 means of wood fires. When sufficiently dry, 

 they are handed over to the Government, (who 

 monopolize the whole produce of the island) and 

 are then placed in the Government stores, where 

 they are heated with quick-lime, which has the 

 eiFect of preserving them from insects : they are 

 then ready for exportation. 



