37 
the Mauritius, where they are known as Wild Chinchona. The leaves 
and flowers are also used as expectorants, and the juice of the fruit 
and leaves is used as an eye-wash. 
MYRISTICA MOSCHATA.—The Nutmeg tree. The seed of this plant is 
the nutmeg of commerce, and mace is the seed-cover of the same. 
When the nuts are gathered they are dried, and the outer shell of the 
seed removed. The mace is also dried in the sun, and assumes a golden- 
yellow color. The most esteemed nutmegs come from Penang. At one 
time the nutmeg culture was monopolized by the Dutch, who were in 
the habit of burning them when the crop was too abundant, in order to 
keep up high prices. 
MYROSPERMUM PERUIFERUM.—This plant yields the drug known as 
Balsam of Peru, which is procured by making incisions in the bark, into 
. which cotton rags are thrust; a fire is then made round the tree to liquify 
the balsam; the balsam is collected by boiling the saturated rags in 
water. It is a thick treacly looking liquid, with a fragrant aromatic 
smell and taste, and is not used so much in medicine as it formerly was. 
MyRTUS COMMUNIS.—The common Myrtle. This plant is supposed 
to be a native of Western Asia, but now grows abundantly in Italy, 
Spain, and the South of France. Among the ancients the Myrtle was 
held sacred to Venus, and was a plant of considerable importance, 
wreaths of it being worn by the victors of the Olympic games, and other 
honored personages. Various parts of the plant were used in medicine, 
in cookery, and by the Tuscans in the preparation of myrtle-wine, called 
myrtidanum. itis still used in perfumery, and a highly perfumed dis- 
tillation is made from the flowers. The fruits are very aromatic and 
sweet, and are eaten fresh or dried, and used as a condiment. 
NANDINA DOMESTICA.—A shrub belonging to the family of Berber- 
ries. It is a native of China and Japan, where it is extensively culti- 
vated for its fruit. Itisthere known as Nandin. . , 
NAUCLEA GAMBIR.—A native of the Malayan Islands, which yields 
the Gambir, or Terra Japonica of commerce. This is prepared by boil- 
ing the leaves in water until the decoction thickens, when it is poured 
into molds, where it remains until it requires the consistency of clay, 
it is then cut into cubes and thoroughly dried. It is used as a mastica- 
tory in combination with the Areca nut and Betel leaf, and also for tan- 
ning purposes. 
NECTANDRA LEUCANTHA.—The Greenheart, or Bibiri tree of British 
Guiana, furnishes Bibiru bark, which is used medicinally as a tonic and 
febrifuge, its properties being due to the presence of an uncrystallizable 
alkaloid, also found in the seeds. The seeds are also remarkable for 
containing upward of 50 per cent. of starch, which is made into a kind 
of bread by the natives. The timber of this tree is extensively employed 
in ship-building, its great strength and durability rendering it peculiarly 
well suited for this purpose. 
NEPENTHES DISTILLATORIA.—This Pitcher plant is a native of Cey- 
lon. The pitchers are partly filled with water before they open; hence it 
was supposed to be produced by some distilling process. In Ceylon the 
old, tough, flexible stems are used as willows. 
NEPHELIUM Lircui.—This sapindaceous tree produces one of the 
valued indigenous fruits of China. There are several varieties; the 
fruit is round, about an inch and a half in diameter, with a reddish- 
colored, thin, brittle shell. When fresh, they are filled with a sweet, 
white, transparent, jelly-like pulp. The Chinese are very fond of these 
fruits and consume large quantities of them, both in a fresh state and 
when dried and preserved. 
