ALLSPICE. 



101 



that of a mixture of cloves^ cinnamon, and nutmeg. It 

 agrees very closely in appearance with a spice mentioned by 

 Pliny under the name of garyophyllon ; but it could not 

 have been known to the Eoman naturalist, as it is a native 

 of the West Indies, which of course were then unknown to 

 the Old World. 



The Pimento is much cultivated in the West Indies, espe- 

 cially in Jamaica, where it is formed into plantations, having 

 broad walks between the rows of trees, called Pimento- 

 walks. The berries are gathered when nearly ripe, at which 

 time the essential oil, upon which they depend for their aro- 

 matic flavour and pungency, is most abundant; they are 

 spread upon sheets and wooden platforms purposely erected, 

 and are frequently turned and winnowed whilst drying in 

 the sun. When dried, the Allspice is about twice the size 

 of a pepper-corn, and consists of a thin rough soft shell, 

 perfectly round, and bearing at the top the marks of the 

 calyx, and occasionally, but rarely, the short pedicel at its 

 base ; it encloses two seeds, which are closely packed within 

 the shell. The flavour resides chiefly in the shell; the co- 

 lour is a fine clove-brown. The consumption of allspice is 

 very great, it being a cheap and very useful spice : 22,000 

 bags, weighing 1022 tons, were imported into London 



