fragrans, which resembles the pear tree. The fruit consists, first, of an outer fleshy covering, called the pericarp, separating when ripe into nearly equal longitudinal parts or valves; secondly, of the aril or mace, which, when ripe, is of a bright scarlet colour; and thirdly, of the seed proper or nutmeg. This is inclosed in a shell made up of two coats: the outer is hard and smooth; the inner is thin, closely investing the seed, and, sending off prolongations, which enter the substance of the seed, imparting the mottled or marbled appearance characteristic of nutmeg.

Nutmegs are cultivated in the Molucca Islands, and also in Java, Sumatra, Penang, Singapore, Bengal, Bourbon Island, Madagascar, and certain of the West India Islands.

There are two kinds of nutmeg met with in commerce: the first is the Myristica fragrans, or true or female nutmeg, known by its large size and delicate and aromatic flavour; the second is a small variety, not larger than a pea, called the royal nutmeg.

Three varieties of true nutmeg are distinguished by dealers, and described in Pareira's Materia Medica :' 1. Penang nutmegs. 2. Dutch or Batavian nutmegs. 3. Singapore nutmegs.

The second kind, the false, long, wild, or male nutmeg, is chiefly the produce of Myristica fatua; its seeds are about half as long again as the others, they are paler and less aromatic.

To prevent the attack of insects, the nuts are frequently limed. The Dutch lime them by dipping them into a thick mixture of lime and water; but this process is considered to injure their flavour. Others rub them with recently prepared, well-sifted lime; a process which is sometimes practised in London.

Nutmeg.

Microscopical appearance. This spice may be distinguished with the microscope, even in powder, from most other vegetable productions. A thin section is seen to consist of minute angular cells, con*taining much starch, in the form of small but distinct granules, mostly of a rounded shape; occasionally, a few of the granules are angular. The cells forming the dark vein-like portion of the nut differ from the others in colour, they are destitute of starch, and contain apparently but a small quantity of oil. Nutmegs yield a fixed and a volatile oil, which are extracted and sold separately.

The fixed oil is obtained by pressure and straining; it is imported in the form of cakes, which have the shape of common bricks, and are covered with leaves.

The volatile oil is procured by distillation in water. The produce thus obtained is usually from 4 to 5 per cent.

Adulterations of nutmegs.-Nutmegs are frequently deprived of a portion of their essential oil by distillation and, after being well-limed, are again sent into the market. Thus in want of their most valuable properties, they feel light, are dry and brittle; and if on the surface small punctures appear, it is certain that a great portion of their essential oil has been abstracted. The work of Mr. Chevalier, treating of nutmegs, contains the following observations:

66

Nutmegs are sometimes mixed with riddled nuts, eaten by insects and become brittle; the small apertures are then closed by a kind of cement, formed of flour, oil, and

powder of nutmegs; a paste which has even served to fabricate false nutmegs. The spice in question, at Marseilles, has been made of bran, clay, and the refuse of nutmegs. These nutmegs placed in contact with water soften down in that liquid." 1

From the examination of eighteen samples of nutmeg in the laboratory of the Commission of the Lancet,' it appears that nutmegs, as they reach the consumer in London, are not generally deprived of their essential oil; and that they are seldom limed.

MACE.

Mace consists of the shell of the nutmeg; it is fleshy, and, when recent, has a bright scarlet colour; in the process of drying it changes to yellow, orange yellow, or, what is considered the best, golden yellow, and becomes transparent and horny.

This shell is sometimes flattened out and dried in a single layer; but frequently it is pressed together, in which case it forms two layers. The Dutch sprinkle mace with salt water, prior to packing it in sacks.

The London dealers distinguish three sorts of true mace: 1. Penang mace, which fetches the highest price.

2. Dutch or Batavian mace.

3. Singapore mace.

Structure. The microscopical structure of mace is very distinct from that of the nutmeg.

The chief substance is made up of cells containing fixed oil and much starch; imbedded in the midst of these cells

1 Dictionnaire des Alterations et Falsifications des Substances Alimentaires Medicamenteuses et Commerciales,' by M. Chevallier.

are others, which, in thin sections, whether made crosswise or lengthwise, appear as apertures; these contain the essential oil of mace. Scattered here and there may be

seen small bundles of woody fibres, of a brownish colour, enclosing one or two small spiral vessels.

The samples of mace examined by the Commission of the 'Lancet' proved to be unadulterated.

CLOVES.

Cloves are the unexpanded flower-bud of Caryophillus aromaticus, a tree from fifteen to thirty feet in height. Its native country is the Molucca Islands; but it is now cultivated in Sumatra, Mauritius, Cayenne, Bourbon, Martinique, and St. Vincent. When of good quality, cloves are dark coloured, heavy, aromatic, pungent, and, if strongly pressed upon with the nail, the oil should exude freely.

The varieties of cloves depend on the place where they are produced; those of Amboyna and Bencoolen, two of the

Spice Islands, are the most esteemed, especially the Bencoolen variety. Bourbon and Cayenne cloves are smaller. Cayenne cloves are the least valuable; they are smaller, somewhat shrivelled, and yield less oil.

The volatile oil of cloves is extracted by repeated distillation; the yield, on an average, is said to be from 17 to 22 per cent. It consists of a light, colourless oil, and of another which is heavier, and combines with alkalies to form crystalline salts. Protosulphate of iron, when added to the latter, produces a lilac, and persulphate of iron a red colour, becoming violet, and afterwards blue; sesquichloride of iron gives with this heavy oil a vinous colour, which turns red.

Structure.-A transverse section is seen to consist of cellular tissue, in the midst of which are numerous receptacles for the essential oil; and a transverse section of the

Transverse section of stalk.
(Mag. 290 diam.)

flower-stalk, viewed with a low power, is found to be formed externally of receptacles, then of a narrow circle of woody fibre, and finally of numerous tubular cells containing oil.

Adulterations of cloves.-The quality of cloves is sometimes impaired by the abstraction of their essential oil. They are distinguished in this case by being light and shrivelled, not yielding oil when pressed upon, possessing little aroma or taste, and by the stalk being frequently