398 



ORIENTAL COMMERCE. [Eastern Island*. 



likewise because such a prepared nutmeg is not fit for propagation. The 

 nutmeg tree is distinguished into three sorts: male, or barren nutmeg; royal 

 nutmeg, a female producing long nuts; and the queen nutmeg, yielding the 

 round nut. The only difference between the royal and queen nutmeg is in 

 the fruit ; that of the royal is thicker, longer, and more pointed ; the green 

 shell is thicker, and it is longer ripening ; the green shell, after opening, 

 preserves its freshness eight or nine days; the mace is more substantial, and 

 three times as long as that of the queen nutmeg, and its stripes or thongs 

 (from fifteen to seventeen principal ones) are of a livelier red ; they are 

 also broader, longer, and thicker, and not only embrace the nut through its 

 whole length, but pass it, and cross under it. The royal nutmeg remains 

 on the tree a long time after the opening of the green shell \ and gives birth 

 to an insect in the shell that feeds upon it. The queen nutmeg produces 

 much smaller nuts, well marked by a longitudinal groove on one side ; 

 it is round, and the green shell is not so thick ; the mace, composed of nine 

 or ten principal stripes, grows only half down the nut, leaving it at 

 liberty to escape, and plant itself. By thus detaching itself, the nut pre- 

 vents the insect from destroying it; the green shell also, changing at the end 

 of two or three days, soon falls, and separates from the nut. 



Nutmegs should be chosen large, round, heavy and firm, of a lightish 

 grey colour on the outside, and the inside beautifully marbled, of a strong 

 fragrant smell, warm aromatic taste, and a fat, oily body. They are subject 

 to be worm-eaten, unless properly prepared. Particular care should be taken 

 that the worm holes are not filled up; the best manner of packing them is 

 in dry ehunam. The oblong kind, and the smaller ones should be rejected. 

 For freight, 15 Cwt are allowed to a ton. 



Oil op Nutmkgs is expressed from the imperfect nutmegs, and such as 

 are unfit for the Kuropean market : there are three sorts of it, commonly 

 called oil of mace. The best is brought in stone jars ; softish, of a 

 yellowish colour, an agreeable fragrant smell, greatly resembling that of 

 the nutmeg. This is denominated Banda soap, and should be chosen free 

 from impurities, and of a pleasant smell and good colour. The next comes 

 from Holland, in solid masses, generally flat, and of a square figure; paler 

 coloured, weaker in its smell, and inferior in its quality to that of India. 

 The last is the worst, and seems to He a composition of suet, or some such 

 matter, flavoured with a little of the genuine oil of nutmegs. 



Mace, (Jawatri, Ilind., Jatipatri, San.), is a thin flat membraneous 

 substance enveloping the nutmeg ; of a lively reddish yellow, saffron-like 

 colour, of a pleasant aromatic smell, and a warm, bitterish, pungent taste. 

 Mace should be chosen fresh, tough, oleaginous, of an extremely fragrant 



