SPICES AND FLAVORINGS 251 



The chief supply of nutmeg and mace comes from Banda, 

 Sumatra, Minahassa, Java, Amboyna, Penang, Singapore, and 

 the West Indies. The production of nutmeg is increasing 

 most rapidly in the West Indies. The Penang mace is most 

 highly prized, while Banda mace is also fairly good. Mace 

 from Batavia and Singapore, however, is inferior. Nutmegs 

 are used in spice, seasoning sausages and other meat products, 

 for making nutmeg butter, which is discussed under oils, 

 and as a source of nutmeg oil which is distilled from the nut. 

 Mace is used chiefly as a spice, being far more delicate than 

 nutmeg and much more highly prized. 



The nuts of M. argentea of New Guinea are sometimes used 

 to adulterate nutmegs and are likewise largely employed in 

 the manufacture of soap. The calabash nutmeg (Monodora 

 myristka) of western Africa produces seeds with a flavor 

 resembling that of nutmeg and sometimes used for the same 

 purpose. Clove nutmeg (Agathophyllum aromaticum) from 

 Madagascar and equatorial Africa produces nuts sometimes 

 known as Ravensara nuts, which are used as a substitute for 

 nutmeg. 



TURMERIC 



The commercial product turmeric is obtained from a peren- 

 nial herb (Curcuma longa) belonging to the same family with 

 ginger. The plant is a native of Cochin China but is now 

 propagated everywhere in tropical Asia. Turmeric reaches 

 a height of 2 or 3 feet and bears long lanceolate leaves in 

 tufts of 6 to ID. The white or yellow flowers are borne in 

 scaly, conical spikes. The rootstocks are thick, scaly, and 

 ringed, and of a bright orange color. In India, about 60,000 

 acres are devoted to the production of turmeric, chiefly in Ben- 

 gal, Madras, and Bombay. The most of the turmeric in the 

 trade comes from Madras and Bengal. 



Turmeric is propagated by division of the rhizomes, or roots, 

 much as in the case of ginger. The plants are commonly cul- 



