258 SPICES OF THE TROPICS 



and cultivation of these was for a long time retarded by the system 

 of State monopoly established by the Dutch in the principal spice- 

 producing countries. So severe, for instance, was the Dutch law 

 in regard to cinnamon in Ceylon that the offence of cultivating a 

 cinnamon tree on private land or destroying one belonging to 

 Government was punishable by death. Cloves and nutmegs in the 

 Moluccas were similarly guarded by the Dutch, the plants being 

 either deliberately destroyed, or their cultivation enforced to suit 

 the circumstances. An amusing story told in this connection is to 

 the effect that the Home Dutch Government, being ignorant of the 

 fact that both nutmegs and mace were produced by the same tree, 

 once despatched orders to their Colonial Governor requesting him 

 to reduce the number of Nutmeg trees, but to increase the cultivation 

 of Mace trees. But even nowadays it is not generally known that 

 both spices are the product of one tree. It is common knowledge 

 that the Dutch deliberately exterminated the clove and nutmeg 

 trees in certain islands of the Moluccas, in their endeavour to secure 

 the monopoly of the spices, while confining the cultivation of these 

 to Banda and Amboyna. Notwithstanding the severe restrictions 

 of the Dutch, however, the escape of the precious spice plants to 

 other countries was gradually effected, both by smuggling and by 

 the agency of migrating birds. Thus, it is recorded, a species of 

 wild pigeon extracted the nutmeg from its pulpy covering, digested 

 the mace, and voided the seed uninjured. The French succeeded 

 in 1770 in introducing the Clove tree into Mauritius and Reunion, 

 from whence it soon reached Zanzibar, etc. A striking result of 

 this is that the world's greatest supply of cloves now comes from 

 the latter island, and not from the native home of the tree, the 

 Moluccas. Similarly Jamaica obtained the Ginger plant from India, 

 and has long practically commanded the supply of that spice ; while 

 the same may be said of Reunion and Seychelles in regard to the 

 production of vanilla, whose native home is South America. 



IMPORTANCE OF SPICES 



Spices form one of the most important classes of vegetable 

 products. They possess valuable medicinal properties, and their 

 presence renders agreeable articles of food which are otherwise 

 unpalatable. When used judiciously in cooking, spices aid the 

 digestion by their effect in increasing the secretion of the gastric 

 fluids ; to the confectioner they are particularly essential, and are 

 used largely for his purpose, more especially on the Continent of 

 Europe ; while in the preparation of superior beverages they are 



