CLOVES. 



505 



were 2,257,000 lbs., the duty paid on whicli was 38,063Z. In 1826, 

 we imported 2,000,000 lbs. Tlie crops and shipments fluctuate with 

 the seasons, and according to the price obtainable. This has fre- 

 quently fallen as low as l^d. per pound, making it scarcely worth 

 the expense of picking. In 1850, the imports into the United Kingdom 

 were 1022 tons ; in 1855, 2115 tons, of which 1200 tons were re- 

 exported; in 1860, the imports were 1000 tons; in 1865, 1279 tons; 

 and in 1875, 2350 tons. The following shows the imports more in 

 detail for a series of years, as far as the Board of Trade returns 

 officially particularise this spice : 



Cwts. 



1862 30,018 



1863 29,268 



1864 42,340 



1865 25,454 



Cwts, 



1867 46,798 



1868 16,279 



1869 29,557 



1870 20,401 



In 1870 there would seem to have been no re-exports. A quarter of 

 a century ago we only consumed here about 400,000 lbs. of Pimento 

 per annum; now about half the imports are used at home, and the 

 remainder shipped to the Continent. The duty of 5s. per cwt. levied 

 on this spice was repealed in 1860. 



The berry of Allspice is globose, one-seeded, black, rather variable 

 in size, but commonly the size of a pea, from two-tenths to three-tenths 

 of an inch in diameter. All the plant, especially the unripe fruit, 

 abounds in an essential oil (3 to 4 per cent.) which is a powerful 

 irritant, and is often used, like oil of cloves, to allay toothache. The 

 bruised berries are carminative, stimulating the stomach, promoting 

 digestion, and relieving flatulency. The chief use of Pimento is as a 

 culinary spice, for which it is largely employed both in Europe and 

 America. It has an agreeable pungent spicy flavour, much resembling 

 that of cloves, for which, when ground, it is often sold. The berries 

 have a similarity in smell and taste to cloves, juniper berries, cinnamon 

 and pepper, or rather a peculiar mixture of all combined, whence the 

 name of Allspice or Jamaica pepper. 



The Mexican spice called "Pimienta do Tabasco," coming from 

 Tampico, is probably the " Piment Tabago " of Guibourt ; it is some- 

 what larger and less aromatic than the Jamaica Allspice, and is 

 believed to be derived from a variety of the Jamaica species (P. 

 officinalis). The wild clove tree Eugenia (Pimenta) acris, Wight and 

 Arnott, and P. Pimento, Griseb, afford analogous aromatic products, 

 but do not appear much in commerce. A Pimento plantation was 

 tried in Tobago, but it was abandoned for sugar cane. 



Oil of Pimento has substantially the same composition as oil of 

 cloves. Pimento is used in tanning, striking with a persalt of iron, 

 an inky black, and a patent has recently been taken out in Jamaica 

 for the employment of the leaves as a tanning material. The tree 

 furnishes walking sticks and umbrella handles that are in great 

 request in Europe. 



Cloves are the dried calyces or flower-buds of the Eugenia caryo- 

 phyllata, Caryophyllus aromaticus, Lin. 



In British commerce they are chiefly distinguished by their places 



