100 



POPULAR ECONOMIC BOTANY. 



and of great circumference. Prom the slight resemblance 

 this spice bears to a nail^ the corolla and sepals of the calyx 

 forming the head^ and the long thin tapering ovarium the 

 spike^ the Dutch named it Naghel ; the Spaniards Clavb ; 

 the Italians CJiiodo ; and the French Clou ; from this last 

 we have derived our name Clove, 



Besides being one of the most valuable spices^ the clove 

 is very useful in medicine, its virtues residing in the aro- 

 matic stimulant properties of its essential oil. Clove-stalks, 

 which are said to be stronger than the cloves themselves, 

 are occasionally imported for the distillation of the oil ; and 

 sometimes, though very rarely, the preserved fruit reaches 

 this country. We receive cloves from the East and West 

 Indies, from the Mauritius, indirectly from Holland, and in 

 1850 a snlall parcel was received from Brazil; it was not 

 however ascertained whether they were there cultivated. 

 The quantity of cloves imported in 1851 was not less than 

 334 tons, of which only 70 tons were re-exported to the 

 colonies and elsewhere. 



Allspice, Pimento, or Jamaica Pepper, is the unripe 

 fruit of Hugenia Pimento dried in the sun. (Nat. Ord. 

 MyrtacecE) (Plate III. fig. 14.) 



It is caUed Allsj)ice from the fact that its flavour resembles 



