CHAPTER VIII 

 SPICES 



The Nutmeg. Myristica fragra7is. 



Habitat. The nutmeg tree is a native of the Molucca Islands, and 



it is largely cultivated there and in many of the other islands 



of the Eastern Archipelago. The Moluccas, or spice islands 



as they are sometimes called, were taken possession of in 



1619 by the Dutch, who encouraged the cultivation of nut- 



The Dutch megs and cloves in some of the islands, whilst they used 



poly! "^°"°" every means in their power to create a monopoly in the spice 



trade. Only a certain number of nutmeg and clove trees 



were allowed to grow, all others being ruthlessly destroyed. 



When the crops were too abundant, immense quantities 



of spices were actually burned so as to keep up the high 



prices in the markets. Although enormous profits were 



made in this way by the Dutch, they kept the natives 



who raised the spices in a condition of abject poverty, and 



so great did the oppression bear on the poor people that the 



natives of the island became nearly extinct. Fortunately, 



How the cul- this disgraceful monopoly was broken down ; clove trees were 



extended found growing on some of the islands not taken posses- 



counuies ^^°^ °^ ^^ ^^ Dutch, and the French carried plants to 



Mauritius and from thence to Cayenne. And, it is recorded 



that the nutmegs were sown, in other islands, by a species 



of pigeon, and in this way plants sprang up and became 



disseminated. 



