288 MYRTACE^. 



Sloane^ (1691) it was commonly sold by druggists for Carpo- 

 balsamum. Ray (1693) distinguished the spice as a production of 

 Jamaica under the name of Stueet-scented Jamaica Pepjjer or Allspice, 

 and states it to be abundantly imported into England, and in frequent 

 use as a condiment, though not employed in medicine. The spice had 

 a place in the London Pharmacopoeia as early as 1721. 



The consumption of Pimento has been enormous. In the year 

 1804-5, the quantity shipped from the British West Indies was 

 2,257,000 lb., producing on import duty a net revenue of £38,063.2 



Production and Commerce — The spice found in commerce is 

 furnished wholly by the island of Jamaica. A plantation, there called 

 a Pimento walk, is a piece of natural woodland stocked with the trees, 

 which require but little attention. The Howers appear in June, July, 

 and August, and are quickly succeeded by the berries, which are 

 gathered when of full size but still unripe. This is performed by 

 breaking off the small twigs bearing the bunches. These are then 

 spread out, and exposed to the sun and air for some days, after which 

 the stalks are removed, and the berries are fit for being packed. 



By an official document ^ it appears that, in the year 1871, the amount 

 of land in Jamaica cropped with pimento was 7,178 acres. In that year 

 the island exported of the spice 6,857,838 lb., value £28,574. Of this 

 quantity Great Britain took 4,287,551 lb., and the United States 

 2,266,950 lb. In 1875 the export was 57,500 cwts., valued at £40,250, 

 of which 10,894 cwts. only went to the United States. 



Description — Allspice is a small, dry globular berry, rather variable 

 in size, measuring ^ to less than ^ of an inch in diameter. It is 

 crowned by a short style, seated in a depression, and surrounded by 4 

 short thick sepals ; generally however the latter have been rubbed off, 

 a scar-like raised ring marking their former position. The berry has 

 a woody shell or pericarp, easily cut, of a dark ferruginous brown, and 

 rugose by reason of minute tubercles filled with essential oil. It is two- 

 celled, each cell containing a single, reniform, exalbuminous seed, having 

 a large spirally curved embryo. The seed is aromatic, but less so 

 than the pericarp. 



Allspice has an agreeable, pungent, spicy flavour, much resembling 

 that of cloves. 



Microscopic Structure — The outer layer of the pericarp, immed- 

 iately beneath the epidermis, contains numerous large cells filled with 

 essential oil. The parenchyme further exhibits thick-walled cells loaded 

 with resin, and smaller cells enclosing crystals of oxalate of calcium. 

 The whole tissue is traversed by small fibro-vascular bundles. The seeds 

 are also provided with a small number of oil-cells, and contain starch 

 granules. 



Chemical Composition — The composition of pimento resembles in 

 many points that of cloves. The berries yield to the extent of 3 to 4| 

 per cent, a volatile oil, sp. gr. 1-037 (Gladstone), having the character- 

 istic taste and odour of the spice, and known in the shops as Oleum 



^ Description of the Pimienta or Jamaica quoted in Young's West-India Common- 

 Pepper-tree.— Phil. Trans, xvii. No. 191. place Book, 1807. 79. 



2 Parliamentary Return, March 1805, ^ Blue Book for Jamaica, printed 1872. 



