The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1882-01-18
Nutmeg.
ON HoTtus JdmGicensis.


from HoTtuS JdmGicenSiS.
This singular tree is said to have
been brought from South America,
and first planted at the Retreat Es-
tate, in Jamaica; it is noticed in
Longs History, but does not appear
10 have been much cultivated since
his time. There are two fine plants
in the botanic garden, Liguapea,
raised by Mr. Wiles; and in the
Hortus Eastensis it has been classed
as a species of Anona, with the triv'
ial name myristica, in allusion TO the
resemblance in taste its seeds have
to the nutmeg. 1t is also known by
the name of calabash nutmeg. The
following are its characters, taken
from a careful examination OF many
of it's flowers: ealyX a one leated
periarth deeply divided into three
triangular colored segmen;s, shorter
than the corolla, somewhat nervous
and crispated, it is perforated by the
style; corolia one petaled, Also perto>
rated and deeply divided into six
unequal segments, three exterior and
three interior; the fruit more than
double the length OF the calyX, of
the same shape, when full grown Of a
yellow color, striped with purple, and
longer than the interior ones, which
are .sub-cordate, conniyeut, nervous,
of tie same color as the others but
less undulated; the stamens have no
filaments; anthers numerous, sessile,
forming a ring round the base OF the
germ as iu aaona, adhering, but
easily separated; the pistll has a tur~
binated, sulcated, and tyigonal germ,
seated on the apex of the columner
style, which is long, perforating the
calyx and coIaIla, to which it is so
slightly attached as easily to slip
through, leaving the central hole
perfect; stigma sub globular, bifd,
purple, browning the germ; pericarp,
large berry covered with hard,
thick, leathery, or woody bark, one
celled, seeds many, nesting. This
grows to large branchY tree, in
habit resembling the anonas. The
leaves come out alternately in thick,
short tootstalks, they are oblong
oval, quite entire, from six to nine
inches long, and about two and a
halt to three broad, smooth, Of pale
green color above, lighter below.
The flowers come out from below the
small twigs, which have leaf GU the
opposite side; they are pendant on
four or five inches long fooiStalks,
which are bracted. Both leaves and
twigs have taste and smell some~
what resembling angelica. The
seeds OF this plant, which are a good
substitute tor nutmegs,vegetate easily
when fresh, but will not keep long
out OF the ground.
1t bears a considerable number OF
large round pods, resembling the
calabash, hanging from the branches
by long pedicle. The pods are from
four TO give inches III diameter, and
contain multitude of nuts or ker,
nels, OF about one inch in length, and
one.third OF an men in thickness, all
packed close in very singular regu>
larity, 50 that, after displaclng
them, it is impossible to restore them
TO the same order and compactness
as before. These kernels, when thor
oughly dried, are of a light, reddish
brown color, impregnated with an
aromatic oil, resembling that OF the
eastern nutmeg, from which they dit
fer so little III flavor and quality, that
they may be used for similar purpo-
SEES in 1ood or medicines; the only
perceptible difference TO the taste is,
that they are less pungeuu than the
East Indian nutmet. IL vas long
time before the tree at the Retreat
bore fruit; at the time of its bearing
1t was about eighteen feet in height.
1t has since been cultivated by many
gentlemen in different parts of the
island, and may probably IN a lew
years be adopted into general use, as
well as furnish an article of export.
l take it to be the same as that found
in Guiana. When intended Tor ex-
portatlon, 1t might be advisable to
send them III the dry pods entire, or
lay the kernels in lime water Tor \
little while, drying them afterwards
again i'll the sun or shady place.
LONG.