484 



NUTMEGS AND MACE. 



and in 1869, 14,008Z. Our direct imports from Sierra Leone have 

 been as follows : — 



Year. 



Quantity. 



Value. 



Year. 



Quantity. 



Value. 



1869 

 1870 

 1871 

 1872 



cwts. 

 9,566 

 6,855 

 5,948 

 6,167 



£ 



11,380 

 8,999 

 5,540 

 9,980 



1873 

 1874 

 ; 1875 



cwts. 

 7,655 

 8,813 

 9,843 



£ 



16,383 

 20,908 

 19,752 



Ginger is a good deal grown in China, and largely used in its fresh 

 state as a condiment, and in medicine. Some small quantity is 

 exported dried, but it is black and hard, and not much appreciated in 

 commerce. 



Ginger also appears in European commerce as a succade, the young 

 shoots of the rhizome being peeled and preserved in syrup. For this 

 purpose the rhizomes are lifted while they are yet tender and full of 

 sap, before they have become hard or woody ; the roots are carefully 

 picked and washed, and afterwards scalded till they become tender 

 enough for the purpose ; they are then put into cold water, and 

 scraped and peeled gradually. This operation may last three or four 

 days, the water on the roots being changed frequently. When thus 

 prepared, they are put into jars and covered with the syrup, and this 

 is changed two or three times, when they are ready for shipment. 

 The imports of preserved ginger are principally from China, from 

 whence we have received of late years the following quantities : — 



Year. 



Quantity. 



Value. 



1 Year. 



Quantity. 



Value. 



1867 

 1868 

 1869 

 1870 

 1871 



cwts. 

 4,249 

 4,972 

 2,677 

 3,791 

 3,366 



£ 



23,799 

 21,177 

 9,753 

 12,731 

 13,465 



1872 

 1873 

 1874 

 1875 



cwts. 

 9,372 

 4,327 

 7,681 

 6,996 



25,722 

 16,319 

 21,949 

 19,894 



Nutmegs and Mace. — The tree which produces these spices is the 

 Myristka moschata, Thunberg ; M. fragrans, Houttuyn ; M. aromatica, 

 Lam. ; M. officinalis, Lin. ; a native of the Moluccas. The tree attains 

 a height of 20 to 30 feet and greatly resembles our pear tree. The 

 fruit, which is singularly beautiful, is pear-shaped, about the size of 

 an apricot. As it ripens, the pulp, which is nearly half-an-inch thick, 

 and of a whitish colour, opens and displays the nutmeg in its black 

 and shining shell, encircled by a network of mace. 



The tree begins to bear when ten years old, and goes on improving 

 during the space of a century. The fruit is gathered two or three 

 times a year. Three sorts of nutmegs are distinguished, namely, the 

 male or barren, the royal, and the queen. The last, which are small 

 and round, are preferred to the others, which are large and oval. 



In 1830 the duty on nutmegs was 2s. 6d. per lb. on British grown, 

 and 3s. 6d. on foreign, and the consumption was 121,260 lbs., which 



