Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1888-02-10
ALLSPICE.
Where and How the Fragrant Berry is Guilt
waited.

waited.
What is allsplce? Most people, says
the ST. James Gazette, would hazard the
answer that it is mixture of spices in
which there are several ingredients.
Cinnamon, mace, nutmeg, cloves and car
damOus are supposed to be mingled in it;
the result being a favoring mixture of
special merit. 1t is true that allspice
does combine very agreeable variety of
havors, but 1t Is a simple ard not com
pound product. We are indebted for it
to the tropical islands of the West; but
practically all that comes into commerce
is the growth of one island-Jamaica.
Ais pice is the name given to the pow
dered berries of what is known elsewhere
as pimentO, or Jamaica pepper. The
plant yielding these berries Is a near
congenor of the pomegranate and guava,
and is known to botanls. S as the Plmenta
vulgaris. 1t is handsome evergreen
tree, something like the arbutus in habit.
The bright glossy leaves have quite Ii
spicy Odor when bruised, and recall at
once the allspice of commerce. The
flowers grow in dense clusters almost like
the hawthorn, but greenlsh IL color.
Following these we have small green arc
matte berries the size of black pepper.
If allowed to ripen they become PUPPY
aud lose all their pungency. For COM
mercial purposes the berries are gathered
when green, carefully dried in the sun on
barbecueS or platforms, and, when well
cured, are packed IN large bags holding
about 100 to $50 pounds, and shipped.
Pimento trees are natives of many parts
of tropical America, but nowhere are
they SO plentiful as in Jamaica. The
properties devoted to the growth of pi-
mento are called pimento walks" Sew
eral hundreds of them are dotted over
the limestone hills to the west of the is
land; but, strange to say the trees are
never actually planted, nor do they re-
ceive any cultivation worthy o. the name.
The whole industry is ore in which man
does little except reap the results. But
in many years, owing to low prices, the
results have not been worth reaping,
hence the pimento grower has often to
fall back on his cattle and horses, raised
ON the rich pasture beneath the spice
tree. In spite of low prices, however,
the pimetto industry is, as a whole, of
considerable value. In 1874-a bad
year-the value was only 9l46,OOO. The
grower seldom gets more than 2 pence
per pound for it when cured. 1t is GER
tainly more mild and innocent than most
other spices, and it is largely used in va
rious dishes; so that a better time may
come for the grower.
| mentioned just now that pimento
trees are never planted by the husband
man. 1t is all the work of birds, who
feed on the ripe pimento berries and
scatter the seeds over the land. The
genial rains and tropical sun do the rest.
What man does IS to thin out the trees
when they are too thick, clear off other
trees that interfere with the pi nento, and
then walk is established. The sur
plus plants, taken up with good roots, are
shipped to IN Ike walking -stlcks and um-
brella handles. The wood of the pimento
tree is very close in texture, takes a good
polish, aud is of fine, rich color. A few
male" or barren, trees are sometimes
cut down, but, otherwise, pimento wood
is too valuable to be used for commercial