274 THE KUT CULTUBIST. 



M. otoba, is cultiyated in Madagascar, but is scarcely 

 known in commerce. 



Another species, the M. selifera, is a common tree 

 in the forests of Guiana, Iforth Brazil, and up into 

 Panama. It is utilized principally for the oil extracted 

 from the nuts, obtained by macerating them in water, 

 the oil rising to the surface, and as it cools skimmed off. 



The seeds of several species of conifers and laurels 

 are knowu, either locally or in commence, as nutmegs, 

 or are used as a substitute for the true nutmeg. There 

 are three different kinds of trees, native of Guiana, in 

 addition to the one already named, the seeds of which 

 are employed as a spice or medicine. One of these is 

 the Acrodiclidium camara. These nuts are known in 

 commerce as "Ackawai nutmegs," and are used mainly 

 as a cure for diarrhcsa and colic. Another is the seed 

 of the Aydendron Cujumary tree, and they are known 

 in commerce as "Cujumary beans," although they are 

 not, strictly speaking, a bean, and the same is true of 

 the so-called "Puchurim beans," from the same country, 

 for they are the fruit of Nectandy PucJiury, a small tree 

 of the laurel family. They are used as a tonic, and con- 

 sidered highly stimulating. 



Clove Nutmeg, or Madagascar nutmeg of com- 

 merce, is the fruit of Agathophyllum aromaticum, a 

 small evergreen tree, indigenous to Madagascar. 



Brazilian Nutmegs are the highly aromatic seeda 

 of Cryptocarya moschata, or Atherosperma moschata of 

 some botanists. It is a lofty tree, native of Brazil. The 

 aromatic nuts are used as a substitute for nutmegs, but 

 are very inferior to the genuine. 



Peruvian Nutmeg, or Plum Nutmeg. — The seeds 

 of a large evergreen tree with aromatic foliage, like our 

 common sassafras, and ior this reason is sometimes 

 called Chilean or Peruvian sassafras. The seeds are of 

 no more economic value than those of our native sassa- 



