130 FLAVORINCi AND BEX'ERAGE PLANTS 



Fu!. 123. — Allspioe {Pimento ofin'iuilis. Myrtle Family, Myrtacca). G, 

 flowLTing branch. F, li(j\vcr, lower part cut vertically. //, fruit, cut 

 vertically, showing but one seed developeci and this with a curved 

 embryo which nearly fills the fruit, in the wall of which are numerous 

 minute volatile oil ca\'ities. (Niedenzu.) — Tree 10 m. or more in 

 height with leathery aromatic leaves black-dotted beneath: flowers 

 white; fruit fleshy, containing one or two seeds. Native to the West 

 Indies and Central America, where they are often planted in rows 

 called "pimento walks." 



beautiful color when a single drop is let fall upon a broad 

 surface of perfectly clean water. The curious shapes assumed 

 by the films are called cohesion figures. 



The amount of volatile oil present in a spice is often ex- 

 ceedingly small, even when the aroma is strong. Ginger and 



allspice 3-4. ,5%; nut- 



black pepper have each about 1-2^^ 



meg 2-8%. Cloves are remarkaljle in having 18% of volatile 



oil. 



Oil of cloves is well known as a powerful drug, as is also 

 the volatile oil of cinnamon. If taken in consitlerable quan- 

 tities they act as poisons. l"h(> volatile oil of nutmeg is simi- 

 larly poisonous if taken in more than small amounts. It is 



