NATURAL HISTORY. 
267 
to pdrAit of being reared without arlifici.il 
heat. It is, however, prei'erved as a great 
curiofity, in the gardens of thofe who keep 
hot-honfes, for the purpofe of having fiicli 
curious and exotic produclions ol nature. 
The NUTMEG and MACE TREES. 
U TMEGS are didinguilhed by the fex- 
ual dilVerence of male and female ; but tlie 
latter is the molt ufeful, and therefore molt 
valuable. The male is long, and large; 
the female is round, and fmall, w'hich only 
grows in improved or cultivated lands: 
while the males, growing fpontaneoufly in 
woods and forefts, are called by the Dutch, 
the wild nutmegs. The tree which produ- 
ces the female, or befi nutmeg, is as large 
as a pear-tree, and has leaves fliapcd like 
thofe, of the peach. The bloffom has a plca- 
fant odour, atid refemhles the rofe. The 
flower being fallen, a fruit appears, as large 
as a green walnut : in this is a kernel, which 
is the nutmeg. It has two barks ; the finl; 
is very thick, and is taken oil' when the fruit 
is ripened ; the other is thin, and of a red- 
didr yellow. When feparated from the nut- 
meg, it is dried, and called vwce. Tl;e 
nutmegs being divefted of their bark, arc 
dried and preierved. 
The 
